When Kindness Appeared
When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared.
Titus 3:4 (NIV)
Paul marks grace's before-and-after: when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared. Before, folly and bondage; after, manifested kindness. God never waited for our improvement to appear — He appeared to improve us. Divine initiative, human response: salvation's order. Manifested kindness transforms beholders.
Courage believes that appearing personally. You were never good enough to earn it nor too bad to lose it: it appeared. Titus shepherded difficult Crete ringed by false teachers; Paul anchors him in manifestations, never circumstances. Bad days never cancel manifested kindness; they merely hide it temporarily. Look backward — it appeared; look forward — it remains.
Contemplate manifestations today: recalling conversions, counting deliverances, celebrating Saviors. When kindness appeared: courage is born from remembered kindness.
Remembered kindnesses breed renewed courage. Remembering today, daring tomorrow. Manifested kindness sustains threatened courage always. Contemplate the manifested gratefully today. Look back praising, forward daring. Manifested yesterday, present today, guaranteed tomorrow. Remembered kindness breeds renewed courage daily. Remember today, dare tomorrow. Manifest kindness to others generously. Received kindness is owed kindness. Give manifested kindness away freely. Dare again tomorrow boldly.
And manifesting it to others: received kindness is owed kindness.