KTF - Kind, Tenderhearted and Forgiving
KTF- Kind, Tenderhearted and Forgiving
I thank God I have a KTF Father, my heavenly father. What will I do without his tender loving kindness and forgiveness? What will you do if you did not have God’s KTF?
Last week in our study of Ephesians, we examined some of the vices and sins we need to “put away”. They were lying, wrath, anger, clamor, malice, evil speaking, and unforgiveness. Today we examine the fruit of the Spirit we need to produce and display on a daily basis in our pursuit of “walking worthy of our calling”. “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples”. John 15:8. A disciple and follower of Jesus must bear fruit that will last forever.
Let’s listen to Apostle Paul as he writes to the Ephesian Church. Ephesians 4:25-32:
25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,”[e] for we are members of one another. 26 “Be angry, and do not sin”:[f] do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Again, these are all fruit of the Spirit which Jesus said, ““I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” John 15:5.
Has anyone been kind to you? Here are other synonyms for the word kind – caring, sympathetic, generous, gentle, thoughtful, compassionate, benevolent, kindhearted, considerate. Many people have been kind to me. I remember my first year in America years ago as a college student. One of my professors, Dr. Moberg and his then wife, Helen (now with Jesus) opened their home to many of us foreign students. With the help of some families from some Milwaukee churches, they provided dinner to us every Friday. That was the highlight of our week as we looked forward to Friday. This was our TGIF – Thank God It’s Friday. When you are away from home in a foreign land, you appreciate every kindness shown to you. These families were Christ extended. They fed us food and the Word of God as we gathered to eat and study the Bible every Friday.
Tenderness goes along with kindness. Vines Bible Dictionary says of tenderness/tenderhearted, “having strong bowels” meaning you can stomach anything and not easily be upset. It implies going “easy” on people and cutting a slack for one another’s idiosyncrasies. Tenderhearted - I think this is one put in for men. Sometimes we men are rough and sharp. I need to be more tender and show more empathy. In fact apostle Peter addresses men as such,” Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered” 1 Peter 3:7.
We are to be tenderhearted and compassionate to all just like our Father. “The LORD is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works” Psalm 145;9. Paul would write the same to the Colossians, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering”; Colossians 3:12. Evidence of a tender heart flows to the lips. “29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers”. Are we impacting grace to people we speak to? Or are we lashing them out even when lash at us? Self-control and tongue control is a fruit of the Spirit. Let’s speak life to each other and to anyone who hears us. Not easy but God will help us because He speaks thru us.
Now the big one and hardest one – forgive. Forgiveness is the gift that keeps on giving and forgiving. What makes it possible for us to forgive is what comes after the word forgiving in the text; “forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you”. We cannot forgive anyone without realizing and experiencing this phrase in our life “even as God in Christ forgave you”. How did God forgive us? First, in Christ. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission and forgiveness of sin. Christ paid the highest price for sin and therefore secured our forgiveness forever. When we forgive another, we affirm what Christ has already done – He paid for their sins therefore they do not need to pay for it again to us. Forgiveness is forgoing the punishment of another for what they have done to us. We all enjoy and get a thrill to see punishment for those who offend us. It is just in our old nature to punish.
Someone likened not forgiving to carrying around a bag of potatoes. If you don’t get rid of them, they will rot and keep rotting and soon the stinky water will be dripping all over you. You will be in the rut forever. Jesus says, to the servant who would not forgive the 8 cents owed him by a fellow servant and whom the Master had forgiven $8 billion he owed, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” Matthew 18:32-35. This is very serious.
Forgiving another is a choice we make that does not depend on the subsequent action of one who has offended us. So let’s not wait for them to ask for it first. However, if we offend someone else we should go ask for forgiveness and be reconciled.
We are to spur one unto love and good works. Hebrews 10:24 “24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works”. Let’s find ways we can be reckless with kindness, tenderhearted and forgiving of one another. Let’s lavish KTF on people whether believers in Christ and nonbelievers in Jesus. When do, we will be just like our Father in heaven. He allows His rain and sun to fall and shine on all. Did you hear about the couple who went to eat on their honeymoon. They had the worst service. It took more than 30 minutes to get the water and the order for food was messed up. People in the restaurant were complaining and leaving very angry after their meal without dropping a tip. This couple instead left a tip of 150% for the waitress. That is kindness, tenderhearted and forgiving. Let’s emulate this couple; and even more, let’s imitate our Father – “even as God in Christ forgave you”. Amen.
Anyone in your list that needs to be forgiven? Please first give yourself that gift and then extend forgiveness to them. Anyone around you need TLC (Tender Loving Care) and KTF? Let’s not miss the chance and intentionally look for such people. Christ came looking for us. If you look, you will find.
I thank God I have a KTF Father, my heavenly father. What will I do without his tender loving kindness and forgiveness? What will you do if you did not have God’s KTF?
Last week in our study of Ephesians, we examined some of the vices and sins we need to “put away”. They were lying, wrath, anger, clamor, malice, evil speaking, and unforgiveness. Today we examine the fruit of the Spirit we need to produce and display on a daily basis in our pursuit of “walking worthy of our calling”. “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples”. John 15:8. A disciple and follower of Jesus must bear fruit that will last forever.
Let’s listen to Apostle Paul as he writes to the Ephesian Church. Ephesians 4:25-32:
25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,”[e] for we are members of one another. 26 “Be angry, and do not sin”:[f] do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Again, these are all fruit of the Spirit which Jesus said, ““I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” John 15:5.
Has anyone been kind to you? Here are other synonyms for the word kind – caring, sympathetic, generous, gentle, thoughtful, compassionate, benevolent, kindhearted, considerate. Many people have been kind to me. I remember my first year in America years ago as a college student. One of my professors, Dr. Moberg and his then wife, Helen (now with Jesus) opened their home to many of us foreign students. With the help of some families from some Milwaukee churches, they provided dinner to us every Friday. That was the highlight of our week as we looked forward to Friday. This was our TGIF – Thank God It’s Friday. When you are away from home in a foreign land, you appreciate every kindness shown to you. These families were Christ extended. They fed us food and the Word of God as we gathered to eat and study the Bible every Friday.
Tenderness goes along with kindness. Vines Bible Dictionary says of tenderness/tenderhearted, “having strong bowels” meaning you can stomach anything and not easily be upset. It implies going “easy” on people and cutting a slack for one another’s idiosyncrasies. Tenderhearted - I think this is one put in for men. Sometimes we men are rough and sharp. I need to be more tender and show more empathy. In fact apostle Peter addresses men as such,” Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered” 1 Peter 3:7.
We are to be tenderhearted and compassionate to all just like our Father. “The LORD is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works” Psalm 145;9. Paul would write the same to the Colossians, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering”; Colossians 3:12. Evidence of a tender heart flows to the lips. “29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers”. Are we impacting grace to people we speak to? Or are we lashing them out even when lash at us? Self-control and tongue control is a fruit of the Spirit. Let’s speak life to each other and to anyone who hears us. Not easy but God will help us because He speaks thru us.
Now the big one and hardest one – forgive. Forgiveness is the gift that keeps on giving and forgiving. What makes it possible for us to forgive is what comes after the word forgiving in the text; “forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you”. We cannot forgive anyone without realizing and experiencing this phrase in our life “even as God in Christ forgave you”. How did God forgive us? First, in Christ. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission and forgiveness of sin. Christ paid the highest price for sin and therefore secured our forgiveness forever. When we forgive another, we affirm what Christ has already done – He paid for their sins therefore they do not need to pay for it again to us. Forgiveness is forgoing the punishment of another for what they have done to us. We all enjoy and get a thrill to see punishment for those who offend us. It is just in our old nature to punish.
Someone likened not forgiving to carrying around a bag of potatoes. If you don’t get rid of them, they will rot and keep rotting and soon the stinky water will be dripping all over you. You will be in the rut forever. Jesus says, to the servant who would not forgive the 8 cents owed him by a fellow servant and whom the Master had forgiven $8 billion he owed, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” Matthew 18:32-35. This is very serious.
Forgiving another is a choice we make that does not depend on the subsequent action of one who has offended us. So let’s not wait for them to ask for it first. However, if we offend someone else we should go ask for forgiveness and be reconciled.
We are to spur one unto love and good works. Hebrews 10:24 “24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works”. Let’s find ways we can be reckless with kindness, tenderhearted and forgiving of one another. Let’s lavish KTF on people whether believers in Christ and nonbelievers in Jesus. When do, we will be just like our Father in heaven. He allows His rain and sun to fall and shine on all. Did you hear about the couple who went to eat on their honeymoon. They had the worst service. It took more than 30 minutes to get the water and the order for food was messed up. People in the restaurant were complaining and leaving very angry after their meal without dropping a tip. This couple instead left a tip of 150% for the waitress. That is kindness, tenderhearted and forgiving. Let’s emulate this couple; and even more, let’s imitate our Father – “even as God in Christ forgave you”. Amen.
Anyone in your list that needs to be forgiven? Please first give yourself that gift and then extend forgiveness to them. Anyone around you need TLC (Tender Loving Care) and KTF? Let’s not miss the chance and intentionally look for such people. Christ came looking for us. If you look, you will find.
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