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Kindness — The Way of the Master · Ian Green Audio Sermons

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  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Ministry of Ian Green, a place where faith is strengthened, hope is renewed, and the Word of God comes alive.
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  SPEAKER_00: Whether you're searching for answers, walking through a difficult season, or simply hungry to know God more deeply, you're in the right place.
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  SPEAKER_00: So take a moment, quiet your heart, and open your spirit.
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  SPEAKER_00: Let's get into the Word of God together.
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  SPEAKER_00: This is Ian Green and this is today's message.
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  SPEAKER_00: Kindness, the way of the Master.
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  SPEAKER_00: Good morning everyone.
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  SPEAKER_00: Today I want to speak about something that sounds very simple, but carries tremendous spiritual power.
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  SPEAKER_00: Kindness, the way of the Master.
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  SPEAKER_00: We live in a world where people can be quick to criticize, quick to judge, quick to react, and sometimes very slow to show grace.
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  SPEAKER_00: But when we look at Jesus, we see something completely different.
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  SPEAKER_00: Jesus was powerful yet gentle.
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  SPEAKER_00: Jesus was truthful yet compassionate.
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  SPEAKER_00: Jesus confronted sin, yet he never stopped loving people.
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  SPEAKER_00: And one of the clearest ways that we can show the world that we belong to Christ is through kindness.
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  SPEAKER_00: Kindness isn't weakness, kindness is strength under control.
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  SPEAKER_00: See, kindness reflects the character of God.
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  SPEAKER_00: The Bible tells us in Psalms 145, verse 9, The Lord is good to all, He has compassion on all He has made.
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  SPEAKER_00: God is kind.
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  SPEAKER_00: His kindness is not merely something He does occasionally, it is part of who He is.
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  SPEAKER_00: Think about how kind God has been to us.
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  SPEAKER_00: He has forgiven us, He has been patient with us, He has given us another chance, He has loved us when we didn't deserve it, He has remained faithful even when we have been unfaithful.
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  SPEAKER_00: And if we have received the kindness of God, then that kindness should begin to flow through us.
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  SPEAKER_00: Jesus said in Luke 6 35, love your enemies, do good to them and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's a completely different way of living.
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  SPEAKER_00: The world says, treat people the way they treat you.
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  SPEAKER_00: Jesus says, treat people the way I have treated you.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's the way of the master.
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  SPEAKER_00: See, Jesus demonstrated kindness.
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  SPEAKER_00: When we look at the life of Jesus, we see kindness everywhere.
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  SPEAKER_00: Think about the woman caught in adultery.
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  SPEAKER_00: The religious leaders wanted to condemn her.
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  SPEAKER_00: They brought her before Jesus, expecting him to join their condemnation.
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  SPEAKER_00: But Jesus said, Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.
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  SPEAKER_00: And one by one they walked away.
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  SPEAKER_00: Jesus didn't tell her that sin didn't matter.
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  SPEAKER_00: He told her, Go now and leave your life of sin.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's kindness.
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  SPEAKER_00: Kindness doesn't mean ignoring truth.
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  SPEAKER_00: Kindness means delivering truth with love.
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  SPEAKER_00: Jesus could correct someone without destroying them.
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  SPEAKER_00: He could challenge someone without humiliating them.
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  SPEAKER_00: And he could expose sin without treating the sinner as worthless.
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  SPEAKER_00: And that's something we need to learn.
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  SPEAKER_00: Because sometimes we think being a Christian means being right, but Jesus didn't call us merely to be right.
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  SPEAKER_00: He called us to be like Him.
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  SPEAKER_00: See, kindness begins with how we speak.
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  SPEAKER_00: Proverbs 15:1 says, A gentle answer turns away wrath.
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  SPEAKER_00: There is power in our words, and one sentence can encourage someone, one sentence can break someone's heart.
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  SPEAKER_00: One sentence can restore someone, and one sentence can destroy someone's confidence.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's why we have to be very careful.
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  SPEAKER_00: Before we speak, we should ask: is this true?
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  SPEAKER_00: Is this necessary?
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  SPEAKER_00: Is this loving?
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  SPEAKER_00: Does this sound like Jesus?
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  SPEAKER_00: Because we can say something that is technically correct but spiritually destructive.
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  SPEAKER_00: You can win an argument and lose a person.
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  SPEAKER_00: You can prove your point and break somebody's heart.
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  SPEAKER_00: But the way of the Master is different.
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  SPEAKER_00: Jesus taught us that our words should bring life.
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  SPEAKER_00: So be kind with your words.
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  SPEAKER_00: When someone makes a mistake, be kind.
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  SPEAKER_00: When someone doesn't understand, be kind.
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  SPEAKER_00: When someone is struggling, be kind.
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  SPEAKER_00: When someone disagrees with you, be kind.
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  SPEAKER_00: And especially when somebody is difficult to love, be kind.
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  SPEAKER_00: Because that's where Christ-like kindness becomes visible.
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  SPEAKER_00: So here's another point.
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  SPEAKER_00: Kindness, when we don't receive kindness.
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  SPEAKER_00: This is probably the hardest part.
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  SPEAKER_00: It's easy to be kind to someone who is kind to you.
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  SPEAKER_00: But what happens when somebody insults you?
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  SPEAKER_00: What happens when somebody misunderstands you?
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  SPEAKER_00: What happens when someone treats you unfairly?
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  SPEAKER_00: That's when our Christianity is tested.
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  SPEAKER_00: Jesus said in Matthew 5 44, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
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  SPEAKER_00: Imagine that.
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  SPEAKER_00: Jesus doesn't simply say don't hate them, he says pray for them.
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  SPEAKER_00: Why?
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  SPEAKER_00: Because Jesus doesn't want their behavior to determine your character.
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  SPEAKER_00: If somebody is cruel to you, you don't have to become cruel.
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  SPEAKER_00: If somebody is bitter, you don't have to become bitter.
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  SPEAKER_00: If somebody is angry, you don't have to become angry.
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  SPEAKER_00: You belong to Christ.
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  SPEAKER_00: And therefore you respond differently.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's the way of the master.
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  SPEAKER_00: See, kindness is often found in small things.
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  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes we think we have to do something extraordinary for God.
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  SPEAKER_00: But kindness can be incredibly ordinary.
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  SPEAKER_00: A smile, a phone call, a word of encouragement, letting someone go ahead of you, checking on someone who has been quiet, helping someone who is struggling, listening when somebody needs to talk, forgiving someone, and giving someone another chance.
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  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes the greatest ministry you will ever perform is simply being kind to somebody who desperately needed it that day.
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  SPEAKER_00: You may never know what someone is carrying.
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  SPEAKER_00: That person who seems difficult may be hurting.
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  SPEAKER_00: That person who is quiet may be lonely.
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  SPEAKER_00: That person who seems angry may be fighting a battle you know nothing about.
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  SPEAKER_00: So let's give people grace.
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  SPEAKER_00: Let's slow down, let's listen, and let's love.
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  SPEAKER_00: Because we don't know what people are going through.
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  SPEAKER_00: Kindness is evidence of the Spirit working in us.
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  SPEAKER_00: Galatians 5.22 says, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness.
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  SPEAKER_00: Notice that kindness is called fruit.
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  SPEAKER_00: Fruit is something that grows.
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  SPEAKER_00: You don't manufacture fruit, you cultivate the right environment, and fruit begins to appear.
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  SPEAKER_00: And the same is true spiritually.
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  SPEAKER_00: As we spend time with God, as we surrender to the Holy Spirit, as we become more like Jesus, something begins to change in us.
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  SPEAKER_00: We become more patient, more forgiving, more compassionate, more gentle, more kind.
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  SPEAKER_00: And here's the challenge.
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  SPEAKER_00: What kind of fruit are people finding when they encounter you?
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  SPEAKER_00: When your family encounters you, do they experience kindness?
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  SPEAKER_00: When your friends encounter you, do they experience kindness?
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  SPEAKER_00: When you're under pressure, does kindness still come out?
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  SPEAKER_00: When somebody annoys you, does kindness disappear?
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  SPEAKER_00: Because anybody can be kind when everything is going well, but Christ-like kindness is revealed when we are under pressure.
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  SPEAKER_00: Kindness can change someone's life.
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  SPEAKER_00: Never underestimate what one act of kindness can do.
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  SPEAKER_00: You might encourage somebody who was about to give up.
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  SPEAKER_00: You might speak hoping to somebody who feels forgotten.
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  SPEAKER_00: You might forgive somebody who thought they could never be forgiven.
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  SPEAKER_00: And you might show somebody the love of Christ without preaching a single sermon.
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  SPEAKER_00: Because sometimes your life is the sermon.
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  SPEAKER_00: People may not remember everything you said.
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  SPEAKER_00: They may not remember every Bible verse you quoted, but they will remember how you made them feel.
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  SPEAKER_00: They will remember that you listened.
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  SPEAKER_00: They will remember that you cared.
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  SPEAKER_00: And they will remember that when everybody else condemned them, you showed them grace.
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  SPEAKER_00: And perhaps through your kindness they will catch a glimpse of Jesus.
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  SPEAKER_00: So here's the conclusion.
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  SPEAKER_00: Ephesians 4 32 says, be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.
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  SPEAKER_00: Notice the reason behind our kindness.
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  SPEAKER_00: Just as in Christ, God forgave you.
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  SPEAKER_00: We are kind because God has been kind to us.
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  SPEAKER_00: We forgive because God has forgiven us.
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  SPEAKER_00: And we show mercy because God has shown us mercy.
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  SPEAKER_00: We love because God first loved us.
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  SPEAKER_00: So today let's make a difference.
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  SPEAKER_00: I will choose kindness.
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  SPEAKER_00: Not because everyone deserves it, but because Jesus deserves it.
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  SPEAKER_00: I will be kind when it's easy, and I will be kind when it's difficult.
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  SPEAKER_00: I will be kind when people agree with me and I will be kind when they don't.
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  SPEAKER_00: I will be kind when I'm appreciated, and I will be kind when nobody notices.
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  SPEAKER_00: Because kindness is not about the person receiving it, it's about the person we are becoming.
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  SPEAKER_00: And we are becoming more like Jesus.
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  SPEAKER_00: The world doesn't need more Christians who simply argue louder.
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  SPEAKER_00: The world needs Christians who love deeper.
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  SPEAKER_00: The world needs Christians who carry the character of Christ.
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  SPEAKER_00: So let our homes be places of kindness.
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  SPEAKER_00: Let our churches be places of kindness.
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  SPEAKER_00: Let our conversations be filled with kindness.
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  SPEAKER_00: Let our social media be filled with kindness.
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  SPEAKER_00: Let our workplaces experience kindness.
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  SPEAKER_00: And when people encounter us, may they encounter something different.
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  SPEAKER_00: May they say, There's something about that person.
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  SPEAKER_00: And may that something be Jesus.
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  SPEAKER_00: Because kindness is not merely a nice thing to do, kindness is the way of the Master.
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  SPEAKER_00: And if we truly want to follow Jesus, we must learn to walk in His way.
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  SPEAKER_00: Amen.
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  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for joining me today, and I pray that this message has encouraged you, strengthened your faith, and drawn you closer to God.
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  SPEAKER_00: If this ministry has been a blessing to you, please consider becoming a partner and helping us continue to share the Word of God and the message of hope with people around the world.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_00: You can find out more about support in the ministry through the links provided.
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  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, remember this God loves you and He has a purpose for your life, and He's always with you.
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  SPEAKER_00: I'm Ian Green, God bless you, and I'll see you again soon.