Be Nice

Just this morning, as I was thumbing through social media, I found a post by my nephew's wife, Cassie. Her post started with...

"Be Nice"

While that is by itself a nice sentiment, and good direction, it was the rest of the statement that struck me as wise.

"...else you'll spend the rest of your life fighting and competing and you'll never trust anyone and you will end up just not being very happy and stuff."

Christian, friend, how many of us live our lives in competition with the next associate? How many of us go to work in a culture best described as "dog eat dog?" How many of us worry if our next mistake at work will be our last?

If that last one happened, how many of us would be comfortable with our new boss discussing our attitude at work with our old boss?

Be nice is more than a happy-go-lucky turn of phrase. It is Godly direction.

"If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." (Rom 12:18, NKJV)

We've discussed at length Jesus' command to love one another and to love our neighbor as ourselves. But Jesus' command goes farther than that. But how often do we discuss avoiding conflict, or at least not being the instigator of conflict?

To be clear, Christians will face conflict. We live in a fallen world given to the likes of Satan to rule. There will be conflict.

Still, as Children of the Most High God, the One True God, the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End, and the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Ishmael, we have a duty to reflect God's grace and extend that grace to others.

So, in this election season when even mild mannered Christians post questionable political positions that beg for a response...even in the face of COVID-19 where brothers and sisters argue over the State's authority to force us to wear facemasks...even when pro sports players are demanding reparations for violations of common decency you are not personally guilty of...

Be Nice.

It just might be the grace someone else desperately needs today.

(Photo: Cassie Klages)