"The Magic Word"
Watch
Listen
Read
As our seemingly-inevitable robotic uprising inches closer and closer, some concerned engineers have started thinking about how we talk to our smart home devices. We've barked orders at Alexa for too long, expecting it to set timers, deliver the weather report, or order more toilet paper. But you'd never talk to a person like that — would you? To encourage a gentler approach to our automated assistants, did you know there's a "politeness mode"? If Alexa hears a command without a "Please" attached, you'll hear the response: "What's the magic word?" Should we really be kind to our ... technology?! Maybe that's a bit extreme, but as we continue to appreciate God's good virtues, let's see the value in constantly filling our hearts with his love in all areas of our life!
The Big Idea
God teaches us to appreciate kindness by pouring his unimaginable love and mercy into our lives. We wonder in awe at the kind of sacrificial love Christ showed, as "... he laid down his life for us," leading us to "lay down our lives for the brothers" (1 John 3:16). Though we were once enemies of God in our sins (Rom. 5:10), we marvel at Jesus' mercy and willingness to suffer even for us (Luke 6:35-36).
Like a young child learns from their mom and dad's words and actions, we're educated by our Heavenly Father as his children. We follow his example and become "kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you" (Eph. 4:32). When we see love and mercy on display in the world, we acknowledge and honor it — not just because it’s polite, but because of its divine source.
Who would disagree that kindness is good? We all know that warm and welcoming feeling when someone treats us well. And while not everyone’s easy to be kind to, let's reflect the light of God's love throughout our lives, one "magic word" at a time.
The Big Question
Is there someone that you've struggled to be kind to?
