TAKING ADVANTAGE OF KINDNESS

Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?  Romans 2:4

I’m not sure I’ve ever thought about kindness being a stumbling block in relationships before.  How could someone’s patient spirit trip me up?  Yet, it obviously does because Paul asks his readers whether or not they presume upon God’s kindness by their deeds of unrighteousness.  Instead of their hearts growing more tender when they consider God’s longsuffering nature toward them, they use His love as an excuse to keep sinning.  Mankind will try to get away with as much as he can if there are no negative consequences.  Repentance is usually the last thing on our minds.

So, this has gotten me thinking.  Kind hearted people can often be disrespected.  Children take advantage of a soft tempered parent, ignoring the rules, and presuming on their parent’s mild disposition.  Gracious hosts can be presumed upon as well.  Guests push the limits by arriving late, making themselves too much at home, believing that if ever there were a time to be lazy about manners, it would fly with a patient host.

What does it say about my heart if I am willing to extort kindness for a license to do whatever I want?  And in the process, I offend the one who extended it to me?   When Peter was under pressure during the time of Jesus’ arrest, he repeatedly denied he knew Jesus, when asked.  The first two times were probably easier than the third.  Jesus was not around when Peter was confronted.  But the third time was different.  Luke records the moments and tells us that when Peter spoke the words of denial, Jesus was standing across the courtyard to hear them and their eyes locked. The pain that caused Peter must have been brutal.  He saw the effects of his sin upon the face of His Savior and friend.

I am asking God to write that story on my heart.  God is only invisible to me.  I am not invisible to Him.  When I sin and presume that He will overlook it because of His longsuffering nature, his face wears a look.

You are so incredibly kind and thoughtful toward me.  I do not want live carelessly and cause Your face to fall today over my choices.  I nail all traces of treacherous love to the cross.  Amen