Be Kind And Tenderhearted

Sunday, May 17

Ephesians 4:31-32 (NKJV)

“Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

Devotion

In Pastor Franklin's message on Sunday, he talked about how big doors swing on little hinges — that it’s the little things we do or say that God notices and rewards. It’s how we treat others, especially our mothers. Are we kind and tenderhearted? Do we forgive easily, or do we hold onto grudges? Do we honor them? Do we thank them for all they do? Let’s not follow the ways of the world, where children and teens swear at or hurt their parents. Let’s show them how much we appreciate them for all they do — not just on Mother’s Day, but all year long.

Mother birds sit on their eggs until they hatch. They bring food to their young after they are hatched and teach them how to fly. Godly mothers do the same. They do not just bear children; they are there to feed them, nurture them, and care for them, teaching them about God and how to live for Him. They demonstrate it through their very lives. Mothers have many jobs and duties. They are nurses, chauffeurs, cooks, maids, counselors, seamstresses, teachers, and prayer warriors. They constantly pray to God and ask Him to protect their children, and they pray for them to come to the Lord.

Mothers are what hold a family together. God listens to a praying woman. He heard Hannah and gave her a child. Samuel became a prophet, and Timothy became a minister because of the faith of his mother and grandmother. (2 Timothy 1:5) 

Mary was the mother of Jesus our Lord, and she also had children with Joseph afterward.

Mothers are the backbone of families. Even single mothers — whether widowed, divorced, or unwed — need our love, encouragement, and prayers. Otherwise, He would not have told the Jews to let the mother bird go. Without a mother bird, there would be no more young birds, and without godly women who are mothers, families would fall apart.  So let’s tell them how much they are appreciated for all that they do.

Today's Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Let me not forget the mercy I received from You when I first gave my life to You. Help me to show forth the fruit of Your Spirit in my actions and words, especially in how I honor and treat mothers. Raise me up as a meek and humble child of God who bears Your likeness, for this is my desire, and it is Your will. I commit myself to You. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Apply It Today

Meditate on Ephesians 5:1, which says, “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” We can make a difference in our homes and our communities as we spread the fragrance of His knowledge in every place, being an aroma of life leading to life (2 Corinthians 2:14–16).

Resources

• Make plans to worship with us today at 9 & 11 AM (ET)! Whether you join us in person or online, we believe God has something special for you. Stream live on the App, Facebook, YouTube, or live.freechapel.org

• Online Couples Night is happening tomorrow! Come be refreshed, encouraged, and strengthened together. Register here for details!