Built For This | Pastor Caleb

Welcome to Free Life Chapel, where we

help you discover and live the free life

in Christ. My name is Cotti, and I'm so

glad that you decided to tune in with us

today. If you ever find yourself in the

Central Florida area, come visit us. We

want to see you face to face. But until

then, feel free to visit our website,

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about what's happening at your church.

There's an amazing message in store just

for you. I hope you're encouraged. I

need everybody to say, "Built for this."

Built for this. I need everybody to say,

"Built for this." Built for this in the

balcony say built for this. Built for

this. I heard y'all.

Come on. I need everybody to say built

for this. Built for this. There we go.

Say built for this. Built for this.

Together. Say built for this. Built for

this. Did y'all know that y'all are

built for this?

Built for this. This is what I want to

talk to you about

today. What if I was to tell you that

there is something that you were born to

do? God created you to do

this, but you and I, if we're not

careful, we will water it down to just

be a good idea and not our divine

calling. We'll water it down to be

something that it can be

nice rather than it having the divine

impact that God created for it to have

when he made you and when he made me.

Anybody ever been in a line uh at maybe

Starbucks, maybe Dunkin' Donuts? You

ordered your food, you get up there to

the line, you go in to pay. If you're at

Dunkin, you're paying with a smile on

your face. If you're at Starbucks,

you're a tearful giver cuz it cost $58.

I'm I'm joking. You You go to pay. You

got to pay for your Starbucks. You got

to pay for your drink. And then uh they

don't take your card and they tell you

the person in front of you paid for your

drink. That ever happened to you? Boy,

when that happened, that baby

do that. It got the church dance going

like I love that. That happened to me

one time at

Chick-fil-A. That's a great place to

make it happen. You know what I'm

saying? It hasn't happened at Longhorn

yet. We're playing and praying and

believing. But at Chick-fil-A, it has. I

went to Chick-fil-A, man. I was You ever

had one of those days where it wasn't a

bad day? You just had so much going on

that like you was just in the zone and

you weren't meaning to be intense or

overly direct, but you just were. Yeah.

Like, but y'all know how to pray for my

wife. I am this much all the time. And

so, I was having one of those kind of

days where I was just I was on my P's

and Q's. I had to get things done. was

going to get to Chick-fil-A uh in the

middle of the workday. And of course,

the line to get to Chick-fil-A up here

on 98 started on I4. You had to get off

of I4 just to get on the line. So, was

going through there, was not listening

to worship music, so my head space was I

was getting even more frustrated. You

get there, there's 28 different lines in

order to get into Chick-fil-A, which is

great, but the people in front of you

never know which line to get in. They're

stopping back, waiting five feet cuz

they want to see which one's going to go

first.

choose how I said it in my head. Get

through in the line. I'm I'm talking I'm

talking with a young lady. I'm placing

my order. I like to think that I'm being

nice and I'm being respectful. And I

also know I wear my emotions on my

sleeves. So, I'm probably being a little

Hey, man. Let me get a four piece count

large with Coke Zero and give me a spicy

chicken sandwich on the side. No

pickles, Chick-fil-A sauce, and buffalo

sauce, please. No, that's it. I

appreciate it. I'm being a little I'm be

I'm using the right words, but I don't

mean it. Never happened to you. Okay,

just me. Cool. Tell them that's

business. So, I go through I do that

whole thing. I I I start pulling up to

to to get my food. Thankfully, they they

do a great job with getting food out.

So, I'm going to get my food or I'm

going to pay. When I went to pay, the

lady told me, "Sir, the the car in front

of you just paid for your meal." They

said whatever it is, they wanted to pay

for

you. Got out the truck, did a little

dance, got back in got back in the truck

and was so grateful. But then it's like

she just kept looking at

me like, "Yes, sir. They the car in

front of you paid for you."

almost like waiting to see if I was

gonna pay for the person that was behind

me. Now, you know, I would It's funny

how we start to spiritualize things. My

Bible talks about stewardship and I

ain't signing no blank check. So, how

much did they spend cuz I got diapers I

got to buy. You know what I'm

saying? This pay it, pay it forward, pay

it backwards, pay it whatever direction

they're coming through. It was so kind

of the person that was in front of me.

They had no idea the day that I was

having. They didn't know the mindset

that I was in. But that one act of

kindness, it was a Chick-fil-A meal, but

that one act of kindness of them just

paying for it completely changed my

mood, my demeanor, and my perspective

for the entire day. It just completely

shifted because of that one act of

kindness. Have you ever experienced

kindness before? Not somebody being nice

to you, kindness. like you you don't

have to do this. I can't repay you.

You're not asking for anything in

return, but but you're just doing this

anyway. When I was growing up, I used to

think that kindness was

weakness. Uh I was the I was a nice guy

in school for a bit and I had a big

smile. I had a bigger personality and I

was 6'7. And so there was a lot all at

once. People

I'm trying to figure Drew me and Yukar

rocka I'm trying to figure out what's so

funny 6'7 on the inside uh 5 foot seven

on the outside and so when I was going

through school I I was a nice guy for a

little bit and then some things happened

to me that I started getting a little

callous that I was like you know what I

don't want to be the nice guys cuz nice

guys finish last. It was this narrative

that I started bringing up in my head

that when it came with friend groups or

when it came with dating relationships,

when it came to football, I played

football. Aggression was celebrated. The

more aggressive you are, the more the

coach liked you. I learned really quick

how to be aggressive. I went and I

played rugby at

university. Even worse, you got to be

crazy to play rugby. Football plus

soccer minus the pads. A mouthpiece if

you want to. aggression, over-the-top,

celebrated. And so my identity came up

and not being a nice guy, but but being

an overly intense person everywhere that

I was at. So if I was talking, it was

intense. If I was looking at you, it was

intense. I was not being kind to anybody

cuz I saw it as a

weakness. As I continued to mature, I

realized how childish that mindset was.

That truly kindness is not a weakness.

Kindness is a controlled strength.

It's even in the face of whatever

situation that is coming at me. I have

enough internal strength to be kind to

you. No matter what you just did to me,

no matter what you said to me, no matter

what you posted about me, no matter

what's going on, I have the ability to

be kind. It's a controlled strength. And

if you have accepted Jesus into your

life, you have this thing called Holy

Spirit. It's the third part of the

triune Godhead. God the Father, God the

Son, and God the Holy Spirit. That's a

tag team straight out of heaven. And you

got Holy Spirit on the inside of you.

Then you have the capacity to carry this

thing of kindness, not just to be nice

to people, but to make a divine impact

and to those that are are in your circle

of influence, in your home, and in your

world. This message is titled built for

this because I want you to know that you

were built to carry kindness. You were

built, the Bible says this, that if

you're a follower of Jesus, you are the

salt in the light of the world. Which

means you are supposed to be attractive

and you are supposed to push back

darkness. One of the most attractive

things is somebody that is being kind.

My friends, I want my friends to be

kind. It's attract. I want to be around

them. I love being around nice, kind

people. I I want to when I get treated

kindly at a store, oh, you better

believe I'm shopping there again. Why?

Because there's a way that not just what

they say, but it's the way that it makes

me feel. Makes me feel dignified. Makes

me feel like I'm not just another person

walking, but like I'm a human being.

Like there's honor that is going through

with this thing of kindness. And

kindness is exactly who God

is. That's why you and I resonate with

kindness so much. It's not just because

it makes us feel good. It's because it

reminds us of our God. And I like things

that remind me of how amazing God is.

Don't Don't believe me. Why? Watch this.

Titus chapter 3:es 4-5. And I want you

to read this highlighted parts with me.

Here's what the Bible says. But when God

our savior revealed his kindness and

love, he saved us. Not because of the

righteous things that we had done, but

because of his mercy. It was his

kindness. The law of first mention says

whatever is at the front, whatever is

first mentioned is the biggest. If you

look at the ingredients label on your

food, that first ingredient, it has the

most of that inside of that food. His

kindness and then his love is the thing

that saved us. It's the thing that

forgives us. It's the thing that gives

us mercy. It's the thing that gives us

grace. It's the thing that gives us what

we don't deserve and that keeps us from

getting what we do deserve. It It's his

kindness towards you and towards me. Can

anybody say God has been kind to you in

your life? He's treated you better than

what you've treated yourself. He's

treated you better than somebody else

might have. Not that they were even

wrong, but can't

nobody do me like

Jesus. Can't nobody love me like the

Lord. Old school song. My

bad. This word kindness, it's used so

many times in the Bible. Um, and and the

the Hebrew word for it. Now, pause. Um,

I'm not Pastor

Scott. Pastor Scott does all the Hebrew

stuff and all the that that's not me.

You know what I'm saying? My little

disclaimer on that. I'm going to give

you the Poke County education version,

which hey, we educated. We could do it

now. I just might not say it like that.

Might have a different twang to

it. The word for

kindness used many times in the Bible.

It actually is one that describes God's

character

is hassed. Here here's what it in the

King James version. It's often

translated as his loving kindness. In in

the ESV version, his it's often

translated as his steadfast love, a love

that endures, a love that is just going

to be there no matter what. In the NIV

version, uh it it talks about it, it

translates it as unfailing love that is

not just going to drop. is not going to

let you go. It's not going to just quit

whenever things start to get hard or

when things don't go his way. He's still

going to be there. Loving kindness,

steadfast love, unfailing love, covenant

loyalty is how a lot of scholarly

research begins to talk about has said a

kindness that describes

God. All God knows is

kindness. Here's why. Kindness is his

motive. His methods are grace, mercy,

forgiveness, love. It It starts from

this thing of

kindness because he is kind. You and I

are able to pray a prayer and get

forgiven of our sins. Have a complete

status change from being somebody who

was unworthy to somebody who's called a

son and daughter of the king. the this

idea of mercy and grace. He didn't get

me the way that other people would have

gotten me. He's held things back. He's

protected me. He's loved me. He's cared

for me. He has been kind to me. Kindness

is the motive that God does everything

through. It shows where his heart is.

God, look to your neighbor, say, "God

has been kind to you." God has been kind

to you. Romans chapter 2 talks about

Romans 2 · chapter mention

it's the kindness of the Lord that draws

us towards repentance. It's it's not us

being scared of his fist. It's not us

the the the being scared of the

damnation. It's the kindness of God that

calls us towards repentance. His

kindness does not change his standard.

The kindness doesn't lower the bar to

make us feel better. But his kindness is

there in a way that coaches us in a way

to say, "You can do it. Keep pursuing.

Don't give up." He doesn't quit. He

doesn't bail out on us. God has been

kind to you and to me. It is literally

who he is. is Hebrews 4:16. The Bible

Hebrews 4:16

says this, "Let us then with confidence

draw near to the throne of grace that we

may receive mercy and find grace to help

in a time of

need." Out of kindness, God says, "When

you mess up, I don't need you to tuck

tail and wonder if you can come in and

see me. I need you boldly to come in."

Why? because you feel good, because you

look good, because you did good. Nah,

not because of that. Because I'm that

good, and because I'm that kind. That no

matter what it is that you did, if

you're coming to me, you're not going to

be greeted by a wall. You're going to be

greeted by a hug of loving kindness

whenever you need it. So whether you're

at the high highs or lows, kindness is

what you're going to meet when it comes

with God. Not because you did something

to earn his kindness, but just because

that's who he is. He is kind. So then

what does it look like for kindness to

play out in like our life? Like I'm not

God. I'm glad he can do that, but like

what about me? Like I know he in me, but

like I'm in me, too.

And I got a little Pastor Scott and

Pastor Cindy in

me. And a lot of it is great.

some of it another

message. What does it look like for

kindness to play out inside of our

lives? There's this story in the Bible

about David and

Mphibicheth. I'm so glad that there's

not a student at the blend named

Mphibicheth. But if there's one in the

room, you are welcome to come to the

blend. We'll have a great time. I I will

give you a nickname. Um David

Mphibicheth. He he David. Okay. He He's

the He's the guy that you you've

probably heard of. He He's the one that

killed Goliath. Okay. I when I thought

of when I think of David, I used to

think of Jon Jones, MMA fighter. Like I

thought that boy was serious. Like the

the Bible says they used to celebrate

Saul, who was the king at the time. Saul

would kill his

thousands, but David his tens of

thousands. Everything's a movie in my

head. That's how I hear it. that Saul

killed his thousands. David his tens of

thousands. I picture David wearing all

black forces cuz you ain't never seen

nobody lose a fight wearing all black

forces. Like there David was one of them

cats. David was one of them dudes like I

I've pictured him as a warrior. Like

this guy who didn't take nothing from

nobody. The the Bible says he's a man

after God's own heart. So, okay, cool.

You got to puff up your chest a little

bit. Make sure you roar like let's go.

Let's get this thing. Let's be

David. And there's a story in the Bible

that I had never paid much attention to

before this weekend, before this week

preparing. And the stories about David

and Mphibiched.

David was the shepherd boy got anointed

to be the next king of Israel while

there was already a king.

The king had a son who was next in line

to be king. So it's not like there

wasn't another person. There was just a

complete shift. Everybody say a shift.

There was a shift. There was a change of

direction. There was a pivot that God

was making in the leadership of his

nation. So David gets anointed. Well,

David, if you you got to read your Bible

like this is better than a Netflix

special. David, he comes into the king's

palace. He's get over 20 attempts on his

life. Saul's trying to kill him. Like

it's this whole eb and flow. But Saul

has a son named Jonathan. And because

David's in the palace and David is

around Saul that they're fighting wars

together. They're hanging out together.

They're eating brisket together. I mean,

that's what I would be doing. They're

they're having a great time together,

right? David and Jonathan, they become

boys. They got like a bromance going on.

And then it turns to like a brotherhood.

And then the Bible in order to show the

the loyalty and the love between David

and Jonathan. Here's what the Bible says

in 1st Samuel 18 that Jonathan became

one spirit with David and he loved him

as himself. Overthe-top loyalty.

Jonathan. Had it been me, I'd have been

jealous. My pride would have kicked in.

I would have had a hard time. Bro,

you're taking my legacy. You're taking

the setup for my future kids and for my

grandkids. I was supposed to be the next

king. I've been working and learning and

preparing how to be the next king. And

you just going to come over here and act

like you're going to be the next dude in

charge. I would have had a hard time.

That's why I'm glad my name ain't

written in the

Bible. You should be,

too. Jonathan, he he was cool. He here's

why he was so cool. He loved God and he

understood if God anointed

him. Let me back up. He He's at home

base. He can't be touched. That's

something that God and if I mess with

him, then now I'm messing with God. I

don't want that smoke. He said, "Let me

stay. If God is the one that appointed

you, then I'm going to be here with

you." They continued to develop this

amazing, amazing friendship. And then

Jonathan ended up making a covenant with

David, a promise. Hey bro, we got to be

locked in. I know I'm not going to be

the king and I know that that is going

to affect my family. I don't need

anything from me. Just David, promise me

that you are going to be kind to my

family once I am gone. That's what

Jonathan asked. He wanted the security

for his family. He wanted to know that

they're going to be looked after.

They're going to be cared for. Not that

people are going to be nice to them, but

there's going to be a kindness that is

going to be shown to them that they're

going to be able to feel. David locked

in with Jonathan said, "Bro, that ain't

that ain't no pressure. I got you."

Story goes on to talk about how Jonathan

and King Saul, his dad, they were out at

war and King Saul and Jonathan end up

passing away. They die while at battle

and everybody was so frantic and they

had Jonathan in their arms and while

they were running to get away the person

that had Jonathan in his arms actually

dropped Jonathan and he became crippled

for the rest of his

life. A tragedy that he could not

control. Something that was done to him

that this was not what he had

experienced. But there was this time

that happened and then now what do I do?

He was a young boy at the time. But then

from there, the people that had taken

him, they were so nervous knowing that

David would be the next king. And

culturally, whenever a new king came

into place, you eradicated the family

line of the prior king to make sure that

somebody didn't try to come up and take

yours. There was no heist allowed. So,

we're going to get rid of everybody.

We're we're going to clear house to make

sure everybody knows we're the ones that

are standing in here. They were so

nervous that that's what David was going

to do to Mphibicheth that they ran him

away and they put him in Loar.

So important. So important. Loar th this

place is not somewhere you went to. This

is a place you got sent

to. This wasn't a place that you would

go vacation from. This was a place for

outcasts. This was a place for people

that nobody wanted to be around. This

was a place of shame. This was a place

of guilt. This was a place of depravity.

You didn't have anything if you were in

low debar. Low means

no. Debar can mean pasture, word or

communication

together. Scholars will state that that

word lobbar, that place, that city could

be translated to no pasture, no voice,

no future.

Mphibicheth, grandson to the king, was

living in a place of no future

because he was

hiding. He had shame. And now he was

living in lack. He was hiding because he

didn't want to get killed. He was hiding

from his past. Hiding from not even what

he had done, but what my family had

done. My granddaddy made attempts to

you. So I would I guess you're going to

try to make attempts to me. Have you

ever felt like you were having to pay

the price for people that went before

you where it's like because of

everything that happened over there now

I'm the one that is having to take all

these hits. I can only take it for so

long. I go into hiding. I don't want to

be a part of that. That was not me. So

in protecting himself the best way that

they knew how he went into hiding.

Shame. He he was he was ashamed not

because of what not because that he got

crippled but because of how people

treated him. Nothing changed in who he

was but how people saw him changed and

because of the difference of how he was

being treated he became shameful because

people weren't honoring him. They

weren't giving him the dignity at this

time period which is such a shame. If

you were crippled, you were considered

second class, considered lower class.

That's why they would push you out. And

so for him, he felt shame. And then on

top of that, he got crippled by doing

something that was somebody else's

fault. Now I'm paying the price for

something that somebody else did. Now

I'm shameful. This is written on me. And

in those days, you were known not just

by your name, but also by your

condition.

Mphibicheth the

So everywhere he went, he was

known by his condition. He was known by

something that had happened to him.

I don't know if you've ever walked

around with the guilt of what you've

done. If you've walked around with the

guilt of what had happened to you, it

put him in such a heavy deep place that

he was choosing to stay in a place of

lack, royal bloodline, but having to

live like a beggar, scraping things up

where he could. This is the story of

what Mphibicheth was dealing with. And

so David after Saul and Jonathan die,

Mphibicheth's father and grandfather, he

remembers his promise that he made to

Jonathan that I will be kind to your

family even after your absence. John uh

King David, he calls in some servants,

some of them that had worked with Saul,

and said, "Surely there is at least one

person out of the lineage of Saul that I

can show kindness to."

That's counter what any other king would

have done. Any other king, they might

have done that, but they might have set

it up in order to kill him. His whole

thing was, I want them to come, not

because I'm going to ambush them with

violence. I want to ambush them with

kindness. I want to bring them in and

embrace them. I don't want to bring them

in where they don't feel like they're

welcome. They don't feel like they're

invited. They feel like they're an

outcast. I want them to sit down here.

David asked that. They said, "For sure

there is. This guy Mphibicheth. He's in

Loabar. He's in a place of no future.

He's left there. He can't even get over

here." David said, "That's not an

option. You go get him and you bring him

back over here. It's not enough for them

to have to make it to me. I will send my

presence to you and help it guide you

back towards me. Anybody else glad that

Jesus sent his presence to us where he

died on the cross for you and for me?

And then now as we continue to follow

him, we continue to get closer and

closer to God. David, he sent out a

servant. They bring back Mphibicheth.

Mphibicheth is shaking in his boots.

I think I'm about to get killed. I think

I'm gonna get ambushed. David does the

complete opposite. David actually says

this, "The land that was your

grandfather's, that is now yours. I'm

giving you the birthright of your land.

And in 2 Samuel

2 Samuel 9:1

9:1, David says, "And Mphibicheth, I

want you to sit as my table as one of my

sons." And had a table to eat at for the

rest of his life. This cat went from a

place of no future and of lack to eating

in the king's palace and having a

pasture that was formerly owned by a

king. How could that happen?

Because of

kindness. Because of kindness. Kindness

is so much more than an emotion.

Kindness has a divine power. How is it

divine power? Because it is a

characteristic of God. God or kindness

was God's idea, not man's idea. But

kindness is something that God

challenges you and challenges me to act

out in this world. God says, "I'm going

to be kind to you. Now, I need you to go

be kind to everybody else at your job. I

need you to go be kind inside of your

family. I need you to show kindness

while you're at work. Be kind while

you're at school. Be kind while you're

shopping. Be kind cuz you don't know

where people are and you don't know

where your kindness is going to help

people get to. And it's not your job or

my job to know all the details.

It's our job to extend the kindness that

was once extended that is currently

being extended to you and to me. If

David, a man, because no man should be

idolized. I love I love reading the

story about David. And I have so many

connection points with David, but David

messes up just like you and just like

me. David ain't to be worshiped. David

ain't to be praised. But because of

David's relationship with God, the Bible

says that David was a man after God's

own heart. Because of David's

relationship with God, he had this

conviction of being kind to all those

around me. Whether it made sense or

whether it didn't, whether people

understood it or not, whether I was

going to be held accountable or whether

the person I made the promise to is now

dead, who would

know? Had this conviction of I'm going

to stay kind to all those that are

around me. If David is able to do that

as a man, how much more is our heavenly

father going to make sure that he

remains faithful to his promise and to

his character of being kind to you and

being kind to me. Know this, you're not

just in the kingdom of God. He's called

you sons and daughters. That you and I

might have first been an outcast, but

now he sees us as part of the royalty,

the royal bloodline. That you are now in

his royal priesthood. that he has now

had a spot at the table that was set up

for you, just waiting for you to accept

his invitation of kindness. Everything

he does is out of this kindness. And

just like David, you and I are built for

this. Everybody say, "I'm built for

this." Built for this. You want to know

how I know you're built for this? The

Bible says this. When you accept Jesus

into your life, you have Holy Spirit.

Say, "Holy Spirit."

Holy Spirit's job is to change you and

to change me from the inside

out. At first, we were a vacant

house. We allow Holy Spirit in our

lives. You live here. He says, "Perfect.

Now, it's my time to decorate. It's my

time to make some things arrange." And

the Bible in Galatians shows us how does

Holy Spirit begin to decorate us from

the inside out. You might have heard

this called the fruit of the spirit.

Galatians chapter 5 22-23 the Bible says

Galatians 5 · chapter mention

this. But the Holy Spirit produces this

kind of fruit in our lives. Love, joy,

peace, patience,

goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and

self-control. There is no law against

any of these. Meaning nobody can say

that there's something bad about any one

of those fruit of the spirit. Such the

Holy Spirit is the one that produces

them. Which means you and I aren't that

good in order to make those happen.

Without Holy Spirit, without a

relationship with Jesus, I cannot expect

to have any of that. Anybody got a green

thumb? You like plans. You like I I like

fake plants cuz they actually stay alive

in my house. I I can't keep a plant

alive. But but I have some buddies, my

boy Mike. I got I I got some buddies

that they like to grow crops. And I have

a buddy, he he's got an apple

tree. I would be stupid to go over to

him and say, "Let me get a banana off

your apple tree."

Cuz it it it don't produce that. Like

the math ain't mapping, right?

I it I would not be able to go and say,

"Hey, let me get a watermelon off of the

off off your watermelon crops." Right?

But the root is all cut

up. The health of the root determines

the health of the fruit.

The healthier the root is, the healthier

the fruit is. The healthier the root of

your relationship with Jesus is, the

healthier the root the fruit of these

fruit of the spirit is going to be

evident inside of your life. That's why

the Bible says seek first the kingdom of

heaven. Then all these things are going

to be added to you. Don't go after

kindness alone. Go after Jesus and then

kindness is going to be that byproduct.

Gentleness is going to be that

byproduct. Patience is going to be that

byproduct. Jesus is always going to be

the focus. That's why Jesus told this

parable, the good Samaritan in Luke 10.

So it was it was all about kindness.

This guy gets jumped, beat up, left on

the side of the road. People who knew

better just walked right past them. They

knew that they should stop. Ah, but I

ain't got time to wait at my schedule

set up.

people not who just knew better, but the

people who had who had the resources in

order to make a difference for the guy,

they just walked past him. They just

kept scrolling on TikTok. They're like,

"It's an inconvenience. I don't have

time for that." But then this good

Samaritan shows up.

Somebody of a different race, a

different social class in the time,

somebody who you're not supposed to be

the one that is doing this. Everybody

else should, but not you. Jesus

purposefully calls that out in order to

say that kindness knows no boundaries.

Kindness can go to anybody. Kindness to

go for everybody. So I don't care if

you're younger than me and older than

me. You deserve kindness from me. I

don't care if you're my race or a

different race. I'm a mut so I don't

even know what I am. You deserve

kindness from me. Different social

economical status. You deserve kindness.

From a different part of the world, you

deserve kindness. you speak a different

language. You deserve kindness.

The point of this, the point of this

parable was to talk about the

kindness that comes from the right

heart.

Because kindness is always tied to God's

motive. And motive comes from the heart.

God is kind to you because his heart

toward you is kind. His thoughts towards

you are kind. His plans for you, they're

kind. the ones that set you up, the ones

that protect, the ones that hold you to

the standard and cheer you on while

you're going there. Jesus is kind to you

and to me. If you're rooted in Jesus,

kindness is going to continue showing

up. So, here's here's what I would say.

You and I, we need to stop treating

kindness like it's optional.

You stop treating kindness like it's an

emotion and start treating it like you

and I were literally created and

purposed for this

to be the salt and light to the world to

show people that God is not mad at them

but mad about them. There's this

phrasing I've I've heard in my life

growing up. We talk about it with

students. There's four gospels in the

Bible. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

your life, your story, your interactions

is the fifth gospel. Most people will

read you before they read the other

four. Is how I'm living is my level of

kindness, my interaction with people. Is

it pushing people to get closer to

Jesus?

Is it showing the kindness that Jesus

has of calling us towards repentance out

of kindness? Not obligation, not

damnation, not through

threats, through his kindness. Yes.

Thoughts that he has towards you. So, so

kind. Kindness is not a weakness. It's

your superpower that you've been given

from Holy Spirit in order to impact the

world around you and create a legacy

that will outlive you. Not for your

personal gain, but for his gain. All of

this for the glory of one. So, in a

culture and in a world that fights to be

number one, fight for

kindness. Fight for kindness. I don't

have to be the fight for kindness with

your words, with your motives, with your

action. Fight for it in a world in a

world that so celebrates the hustle and

grind and thinking that that's the way

to get to the

top. Value kindness more. Kindness will

take you further than your efforts ever

will kind. Why? Because it's not a

man-made idea. It's a heavenly idea.

It's something that has divine power

connected. All of us have a craving and

a longing for kindness because it's the

longing for God that comes from it.

Stand for truth, but do it with

kindness. Everybody stand on your

feet. God in his loving

kindness, he pulled you out of Loabar.

He pulled you out of a place of no

future. He pulled you out of the cycle

that you me might have continuously been

in. He He pulled you out of a place of

shame. He pulled you out of a place of

guilt. He pulled you out of a place of

lack and gave you a seat at his table

which has more than you and I could ever

ask or

think. And his challenge to you and his

challenges to me is don't sit at the

table alone.

Who can you be kind to and invite to

this table? To experience and to feel

the freedom and the liberation that

comes from his kindness. We're called to

do that to the world that is around us.

There's this phrasing in theology. It's

called the IMO day. You might have heard

it before. It's a different way of

saying that we're made in the image of

God.

a Mago day because kindness is a part of

his character and because you and I were

created in his image. Kindness should be

a part of your character and my

character every

day. Not the kind that changes depending

on where I'm at or depending on who I'm

talking to, but it is who I am.

Regardless of the situation or the

circumstance, I will treat you with

kindness. My goal is to give kindness.

Why? Cuz I recognize how kind he has

been to me. It is my joy. It is my

pleasure. It is my honor in order to be

kind to those that are around me. Father

God, we love you so much. Thank you for

your loving kindness that sent Jesus on

the cross for us before we even had the

opportunity to choose him, to love him,

to do anything. Thank you for how you

have set us up. Thank you for where you

have brought us from, where you are

currently bringing us from and the plans

that you have for us to get out of where

we currently are. You are always in

motion. You are always in movement and

it is always from the motive in the

heart of kindness. God, as we continue

to pursue you, I pray that you build up

kindness on the inside of us. That as we

see people, we see we are able to look

for ways that we're able to be kind.

that with our hands, we're able to sh

show kindness in different ways. With

our mouth, we're able to express

kindness to those that are around us.

Not just for our benefit, but for the

benefit of you so that the world can be

more restored, more healed, more

repaired, more looking like you. God,

help us add more of you into the world

that we live in. And help us be boldly

doing this, knowing that we were built

for this. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Amen. Amen. I told you the message would

encourage you. For more encouraging

messages, feel free to visit our

website,

freelifechapel.org. Until then, I hope

you have an amazing day.

[Music]