Ephesians 4:32 — “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
I don’t know about the rest of Christendom, but I know this much about myself: I need to be nicer. Where is the word “nice” in the Bible? It is all over the place — the Holy Spirit simply uses better words. Kind. Tenderhearted. Gentle. Patient. Forgiving.
Lately, I have noticed how easily the anger, cruelty, violence, and arguments of this world can take some of that kindness out of me. I can watch the news, read social media, see people defending things I believe are terribly wrong, and feel myself becoming harder. Then I try to reason with people who are already angry, and before long I am becoming angry too.
That is the part that concerns me most. I am supposed to show the fruit of the Spirit. One of those fruits is what we might simply call biblical niceness — kindness. Yet if I am not careful, instead of being transformed by Christ, I start being shaped by the same angry world I am criticizing.
Galatians 5:22 — “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
I never thought I would struggle this much with the pressure and hostility around us. Since 2018, I have learned that I do not handle opposition as perfectly as I once imagined I would. Sometimes the world gets inside my head. Sometimes I let it steal my peace. And I do not want to be conformed to it.
Romans 12:2 — “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect Will of God.”
For me, one practical step toward becoming kinder may simply be turning off more social media and television. There are things happening in the world that deeply upset me. But constantly staring at them does not always make me more useful to God. Sometimes it only makes me more angry.
I have to come back to what I call my three-foot world. If it is within my physical reach, I can probably do something about it. I can encourage the person standing beside me. I can help a child. I can listen. I can forgive. I can speak truth without becoming cruel. I can pray instead of arguing.
2 Timothy 2:23 — Stay away from foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they produce quarrels.
Being nice — or, more deeply, practicing biblical kindness — is a powerful reflection of Christ. It can change hearts, heal hidden wounds, and disarm hostility.
We live in a loud, fast, and often harsh world. It is easy to snap back, post a sharp comment, or ignore the person standing right in front of us. But Scripture calls us to another way of living — a life marked by kindness and tenderhearted compassion.
Niceness may keep the peace when things are easy. Biblical kindness goes further. It steps into the mess and treats people the way God has treated us. It tells the truth without enjoying the wound. It serves without demanding applause.
Luke 6:35 — God is kind even to the ungrateful and the evil.
Think about how Jesus lived. He touched the untouchable, fed the hungry, listened to the outcast, and kept His heart open even when people misunderstood or rejected Him. His kindness was not weakness. It was courage combined with compassion.
Cultural niceness is polite. It smiles when it is easy, holds a door, and avoids hard truths. Real biblical kindness acts for the actual good of another person, even when it costs us something.
A kind word can stop an argument before it starts. A quiet act — listening to an upset friend, helping a neighbor, forgiving someone who hurt you — can heal pain nobody else sees. Kindness does not need a social-media audience or loud applause. It serves because love requires it.
You do not need a grand stage to change the world. You need a willing heart in everyday moments. Smile at a stranger. Send an encouraging text. Forgive a small offense. Give patience to someone who is frustrated. Ask the Holy Spirit to make you genuinely kind today — not just when it is easy, but everywhere you go.
My plumb line of kindness is working with poor children and their families here in Managua. Kindness pours out of me there because that is my calling. That is where God keeps bringing me back into my lane.
I am not called to solve every argument in America. I am called to share the Gospel one-on-one with the whosoevers, kiss boo-boos, encourage dads, help families, and show children that Jesus sees them and loves them.
Romans 5:5 — “And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us.”
Maybe that is the challenge for all of us this week: stay close enough to Jesus that the world does not decide what kind of person we become. Let the Holy Spirit renew your mind. Let Him soften your heart. And when the noise gets too loud, come back to the person God has put within your reach.