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December Devotional
'Tis The Season To Be ... Kind!

What are your plans for this Christmas season? To bake 12 different types of cookies ... or to send out your Christmas Cards by December 15? Maybe your goal is to not use your credit cards this year ... or to go Christmas Caroling with your neighbors. Perhaps high on your list of holiday festivity is to win the community home decorating contest ... or to finish your shopping before December 24th!!

I'd like to encourage you to make plans of a different sort altogether. During this season where the world stops in wonder to think about a Baby born in a manger - let's try to live ... really live ... the way that He would if He were here with us today in 2006.

God does have a will for your life this holiday and season - His will is, that quite simply, you would choose to be kind. Choose to smile at the stressed out sales clerk and tell her that she is doing a good job. Try giving a word of encouragement to the young mom with three children in tow in the 2-hour line at the post office. Rather than spending a lot of money on meaningless gifts that will be forgotten by January 1 - how about spending some of yourself on a priceless gift that just might change someone's life?!

The Book of Ephesians commands us to "Be kind to one another!" We are to choose kindness over a critical spirit, over impatience and over our rights to our own preferences. We are to be kind to those we love the most and know the best!

In the Book of Luke, we are reminded that we are to imitate the behavior of God Who is kind to evil and ungrateful men. You are to be especially kind to those who have been mean and cruel to you. When you indulge in an act of kindness on another's behalf ... don't expect a thank you note in the mail! You are not exhibiting kindness for the applause - but for the obedience.

If you struggle with depression, choosing to show kindness may have more long term affects than you realize. Studies show that when we demonstrate an act of kindness, the serotonin levels in our body are raised. Serotonin is a chemical that our body produces which makes us actually feel happier ... more peaceful ... and less anxious. These same studies also show that the person who is the recipient of an act of kindness shows raised serotonin levels as well!! To top it all off, anyone who observes or hears about the act of kindness also is the beneficiary of increased serotonin!

My prayer for you this Christmas season, is that you would find the absolute joy that is hidden in the simple acts of kindness. I pray that you would allow kindness to become a way of life, rather than a sporadic after-thought. After all ... it is the season ... to be kind!