“Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?”

If we want people to begin to do something in a different way, we are asking them to change.  Change doesn’t come easily and there are steps to follow to implement the changes we seek.  But, along with “what” we go about to bring change there is the “how” that must not be ignored.  We can seek compliance or we can seek commitment.  If we seek commitment then every person must understand what is in it for them and know without a shadow of a doubt that they will be supported when they try the new way or the new thing.  I’ll argue that kindness during change is a secret weapon that we don’t use enough. When we put ourselves in someone else’s shoes we will find that kindness can be the difference between someone wanting to try and change or resisting the change all together. Kindness.  It’s a powerful force.

God uses His kindness to get us to turn to Him.  Within a moment He could get us all to believe in Him.  All He would have to do is appear in the skies and cast down fire and fury threatening us to kneel and obey Him and I’d bet that He would see all of us cowering in fear and full belief.  But, that’s not His way and nor should it be ours as we try to live and work to bring Him glory.  We can model His kindness and with enough of it poured out to others possibly eternally change someone’s heart.

Reference: Romans 2:4 (New Living Translation)