I was riding on the subway in New York City a few years ago and I noticed a sign on the wall that said, “Be nice, people like that! ”
“Be nice, people like that,” sounds like a very obvious way to live but how often do we forget to be nice in our daily dealings with others, and instead we behave far from nicely?
When some of our kids were younger they were known to be absolute angels when at school, yet on coming home all their angelicness seemed to disappear. I would ask in exasperation why they were so good at school, but seemed to find it so difficult to be nice once they arrived home? They’d tell me it was because they’d used up all their niceness during the day.
Perhaps we all feel to some degree like we can run out or use up all of our niceness at times. Fortunately for us God says that as we draw close to Him He sheds His love abroad in our hearts. Plus the more we realise and recognise who we are in Jesus and that we are a new creation in Him, the easier it is to act and speak with love and “niceness” continually. It actually just starts to flow out of us, and the more we draw near to God the freer it flows.
Today if you are struggling to be “nice” ask God to remind you of who you are in Him, and what He says about you. Then make a decision to open up your heart to allow His love to fill and overflow in your heart.
“For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” (Romans 5:5)
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; Behold, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.“ (Romans 5:3-5 NLT)
Prayer: Lord thank you that I don’t have to go through life trying to be nice alone. When I open my life up to you, your goodness and love floods my heart. Please help me everyday to take the opportunity to be nice to others, because not only do other people like that, they also need it. In Jesus name Amen
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