The ministry of kindness is unceasing. It keeps no Sabbaths—it makes every day a Sabbath. It fills all the days and all the nights. In the true home, kindness begins with the first waking moments in the morning, in pleasant greetings, in cheerful good wishes, and then it goes on all day in sweet courtesies, in thoughtful attentions, in patience, in quiet self-denials, in obligingness and helpfulness.

Out in the world, kindness goes everywhere with happy cordiality, its gladness of heart, its uplift for those who are discouraged, its strengthening words for those who are weary, its sympathy with sorrow, its interest in lives that are burdened and lonely.

Some of us, if we were to try to sum up the total of our usefulness would name a few large things we have done—the giving of money to some benevolent object, the starting of some good work which has grown into strength, the writing of a book which has made us widely known, the winning of honor in some service to our community or to our country. But in every worthy life, that which has really left the greatest measure of good, has been its ministry of kindness. No record of it has been kept. People have not talked about it. It has never been mentioned in the newspapers. But where we have gone, day after day—if we have simply been kind to everyone, we have left blessings in the world which in their sum far exceed the good wrought, the help imparted, and the cheer given, by the few large, conspicuous things we have done, of which we think and speak with pride.–J. R. Miller

I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.--John 17:15

We often try to protect ourselves from a lot of things, and all the while ignoring the real danger. We want to shield ourselves from unpleasant things, yet God has purposed that we face them. His greater concern for us is that we be kept from evil. As someone said:

Christ does not wish that we shall be kept from suffering—but that in our suffering, we shall not sin. He does not wish that we may never have sickness—but that in our sickness, we may not fail of patience, sweetness, and trust. He does not wish that we may have no trials or struggles—but that in our trials and struggles, we may not be overcome and our lives hurt or marred.

There is only one evil in the world—SIN, and it lurks everywhere! It comes even in our purest joys; we may forget God in them. The happiest home may become a place of peril to us, leading us to self-indulgence, love of ease, forgetfulness of the world’s need and sorrow, neglect of duties, even to forgetfulness of God.

There is no sin in our being hated by the world, in our being wronged or injured by others; but if we endure the hatred and the wrong resentfully, if we grow angry and seek to avenge ourselves—we have sinned. There is no sin in our being assailed by temptations, we cannot live a day without being tempted—but the moment we yield to the temptation, we have sinned. There is no sin in our suffering adversity, disappointment, loss, need; but the moment that in any such experience we repine, doubt God, or rebel against his will—we have done evil and sinned.

And be ye kind one to another–– Ephesians 4:32

“Nothing else we can do is more worth while than kindness. There is nothing that the world needs more, and nothing else that leaves more real and far-reaching good in human lives. Some day we shall learn that the little deeds of love wrought unconsciously, as we pass on our way, are greater in their helpfulness, and will shine more brightly at the last, than the deeds of renown which we think of, as alone making a life great.

Kindness has been called the small coin of love. The word is generally used to designate the little deeds of thoughtfulness and gentleness which make no noise and attract no notice—rather than great and conspicuous acts which all men applaud. One may live many years and never have the opportunity of doing anything great, anything which calls attention to itself, yet one may, through all one’s years, be kind, filling every day with gentle thoughtfulnesses, helpful ministries, little services of interest, obligingness, sympathy, and small amenities and courtesies.

Kindness is beautiful. It is beautiful in its simplicity. It usually springs out of the heart spontaneously. The great things men do—are purposed, planned for, and are done consciously, with intention and preparation. Kindness as a rule is done unconsciously, without preparation. This enhances its beauty. There is no self-seeking in it, no doing something for effect, no desire for recognition or praise, no thought of reward of any kind. It is done in simplicity, prompted by love, and is most pleasing to Christ.”–J. R. Miller

An old song says, “Getting ready today. Moving out tomorrow”. Would you be ready? In Deut. 32:48-50 God instructed Moses to go up to Mount Nebo to die—all alone. Then in Deut. 34:5 we read that he died there, just as the Lord had said. Even so, we all have our appointment with death and we need to be ready.

 J. R. Miller wrote:“To each of us the summons will sometime come: “Go away from your farm, your store, your desk, your books, your pleasure, into the silence of your own room—and die.” We may not hear the voice, when we lay down our work at nightfall, nor be conscious that we are going away to die; but this will not alter the fact. We will come to our last hour—when the voice none can resist will call us from earth.

Moses was to die alone. None of the people accompanied him. Every one of us really has to die alone. Our friends may gather around us; they may hold our hand; they may sing or pray with us; they may drop their tears on our cold cheek, and print hot kisses of farewell on our lips—yet we must die alone. No one can accompany us beyond the foot of the mountain. This is a point at which the tenderest affection can give no help. It is like one going out on the sea in a ship. Friends come to the shore and wave their farewells as we go out—but not one of them goes with us. We must die alone.”

Dear friend would you be ready if your call to leave came today? You can prepare for the moment only by trusting Christ as your Lord and Savior. Please—do it today. Your call could come anytime!