I had to pull into McDonalds this morning to pick up some breakfast as we are in need of a grocery store run at our house. The line was a little long, but I was starving and knew I needed some energy for the day. I pulled up to the window and heard the most cheerful, kind voice say, "Good morning! What can I get for you today?" Not the mumbly jumbly-I've said this 500 times already today-I'm ready to go home-hurry up-what do you want kind of voice that usually comes over those speakers, but a genuine, cheerful, sweet voice that said "Good morning!" - gasp! - like she really meant it! The kind of good morning you would like to have someone wake you up with each day. I was really surprised! I ordered, and she asked, "Is there anything else I can get for you?" in the same sweet tone. I pulled through, paid, and picked up my order. As I was leaving, the food passer outer lady said, "Have a great day and come again!" I thought, "I sure will come again!"

You may be reading this thinking, well, that's what all drive through people do. No, I can't show you over a blog while typing, but the tones of their voices were truly KIND, GENUINE, and even LOVING! Honestly, it was the first time I had experienced genuine-ness in a fast food restaurant. It really stood out! It made me think of a phrase from a song, "Your kindness Lord... leads me to repentance..." We heard this phrase at Bible study the other night, and I looked up the verse that goes along with it.

Romans 2:4 says, "Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?" The chapter is about judging people - a good one to read. Our Bible study with Andy Stanley was on guilt. Jesus doesn't use guilt to get us to obey, although He could. He uses KINDNESS! His KINDNESS leads us to repentance, obedience, and a broken heart for him!

I found a couple of other verses this morning on kindness.

2 Chronicles 32:25 tells of Hezekiah's response to God's kindness in healing him, "Hezekiah's heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the LORD's wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem." Thankfully, Hezekiah repented and they were spared the Lord's wrath.

Jeremiah 31:3 says, "The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: 'I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness...' " That word "drawn" in Hebrew is "mashak" pronounced "maw-shak", and it means to draw, drag, seize, cheer, attract, or gratify. I'm normally not one of the big Hebrew translators, but I liked this one. The Lord draws us - he seizes, cheers, attracts, and gratifies us with LOVING KINDNESS!!! Isn't that exciting!!??!!

On 89.1 FM (love them... I'm going to add them to my links whenever I get around to reorganizing my blog) this morning (after I left McDonalds), I heard this verse - Proverbs 18:21 says, "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.." Our tongues quite literally have the power to lead someone towards or away from eternal life with Christ! The power is of course God's, but how many people have you seen that have turned away from the church because of something that someone said?

Just as God draws us in with kindness, the only way that Christians are going to reach the lost world around us is with kindness. Strong historical arguments, great theology, personal testimonies - they are all good ways to bring someone to Christ. But the best way to draw, attract, or even drag someone to Christ is through good ole' kindness! Acts of service, sweet words, an encouraging spirit, and just a light up your world smile will draw people to our Savior!