It begins with a seed

A life is not important except in the impact it has on others. (Jackie Robinson)

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.  Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT)

The impact of our lives may best be seen in the kindness we show others - in the expression of love we give to others or bring into situations where hurt and harm have been prevalent. Let's be honest here - there are a whole lot of harmful and hurtful things happening around us each and every day. We might be right smack dab in the middle, or we could be observers on the sidelines. Either way, we have the opportunity to bring God's love into that situation by being examples of his tenderhearted kindness and love.

Where bitterness abounds, you might just see anger, harsh words, or even hurtful lies being spread. The root of bitterness combined with one's own pride makes for a deadly combination within relationships. It actually breaks down relationships, creating even more friction and unease. True kindness in response to someone's bitterness and its resulting actions might not change the individual immediately, but when it is given in a consistent and loving manner, it will have an impact.

It isn't always easy to respond with kindness when someone is so consumed within their own bitterness, is it? We might just want to throw up our hands and walk away. We could reasonably presume they might not ever change, so why waste our efforts. It isn't that those efforts are ever wasted - it is just that we haven't seen the results God can accomplish when those efforts to reveal his love and kindness are persistent. 

We are commanded to get rid of all bitterness in our own lives because it brings about so many other evil things within a man's character. Whenever we choose to hold onto things that should be forgiven, we allow a root to grow. That root soon produces the fruits of rage, anger, harsh words, and slander - evil behavior that we all want to avoid. While it might be impossible for us to change the fruit produced from an apple tree into the fruit of a grapefruit tree, God is capable of changing the fruit of a man's life through his grace and love.

As we become 'agents' of his grace and love, remaining tenderhearted even in the face of someone who is so cold and harsh in their behavior, his seeds of grace are being planted where seeds of bitterness and pride have taken full root and been able to bear fruit. We don't know how God changes a man, but we do know it begins with grace and we can always plant more of those seeds! Just sayin!