This came in my email today. For some reason I feel compelled to share it. Or at least store it on this blog:

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. (Luke 6:35 NIV)

Forgiveness: The Path to Real Peace and Joy 

A few years ago someone told me about a person who was doing business with our ministry and making a good deal of money because of their relationship with us. My friend happened to be at the same restaurant, seated in the next booth, and overheard their conversation, which just happened to be about me - and they weren't saying good things either. 

At first I got mad and just wanted to tell him that he was never getting our business again. But in bed that night, the Holy Spirit said to me, "You're not going to do any of those things." He said, "No, you're going to do what you teach. You're going to go buy him a present, and you're going to tell him how much you appreciate the services that he's given you all these years." 

Needless to say, I resisted at first. But eventually, I relented and bought him a gift. 

What I remember most about the situation is that as soon as I started taking action to do something good for them, it just got so funny to me. I was laughing out loud in my house, all by myself. 

When we can look at people who've hurt us with compassion, there's a party that goes on inside of us. 

So who can you forgive and do something nice for today? Practice forgiveness and follow the path it leads to real peace and joy! 

Prayer Starter: God, I want to obey Your word, which tells me to be compassionate and good to those who have hurt me. I know that when I do, I will experience peace and joy on the inside.

Thank you Pat Carroll for this reminder that love is all around us.

Galatians 6:9-10 ESV

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."

See it at YouVersion.com:

http://bible.com/59/gal.6.9.esv

Many times I am guilty of this. That is, growing weary of being kind. I sometimes wonder if I don't let out a little bit the old ass of a self then I fear I might implode completely. But then after a little steam is released (and perhaps a little guilt too) I begin to look at what doing good things does for making my day a little better. And I am reminded by what Ben Franklin said in that you do well by doing good. And so I push myself to embrace the steam building up in me and used the energy to do something good. And do it well.

"The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems."
-Mahatma Gandhi

We all have the power to transform our individual selves into adopting the qualities we wish to see in the world. For me that is the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the world and in ourself. It is an active energy, fully participating in our lives. We've been giving power to welcome it or not. But in having the strength of God's Spirit within us, we are able to transform from the inside out. Will it change the world? Or is it simply life changing?

In the wise words of Mahatma Gandhi, "As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world -- that is the myth of the atomic age -- as in being able to remake ourselves."

In this article, the Positivity Blog's, Henrik Edberg, addresses Gandhi's top ten fundamentals for changing the world.

http://www.dailygood.org/story/466/gandhi-s-10-rules-for-changing-the-world-henrik-edberg/

Dr. Martin Luther King wrote a beautiful sermon on Paul's letter to the Romans regarding their spiritual transformation. For all you brainiacs whose minds need a little push in the right direction:

http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/primarydocuments/Vol6/July1962-March1963DraftofChapterII,TransformedNonconformist.pdf

Thank you Thao Phi for her enlighting observations and wonderful post:

http://www.dailygood.org/story/642/three-lessons-from-my-kindness-challenge-thao-phi/

"Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love." Lao Tzu

While these are great words to live by, I would also add the kindness we receive and the way we receive it creates a bond of I breakable kindness.

As we give kindness to strangers, let us not forget to receive kindness in return. It might be their kindness that triggers yours. Such willingness allows for growing our confidence, profoundness, and love.