Around Christmas you often hear people say, “I’m not going to send them a card, they didn’t send me one.” Or, “I won’t buy them another present. They didn’t thank me for the one I gave them last year.”

What if God was only kind to us when we expressed appreciation? What if He said, “That person wasn’t grateful for the last breath I gave them. I won’t give them another.” If we only had tomorrow what we were thankful for today, how much would we have?

Jesus said, “The Father is kind to the unthankful.” (Luke 6:35) Right before He told us to be merciful because God is merciful. God-honoring kindness is based on the nature of the God who gave it to us, not on the nature of those with whom we share it.

Kindness.  The gift none of us deserve, but all need.