Patient and Kind, Even When It's Hard
Month 10: Loving One Another · Heart Matters
Today's Scripture
Read together: 1 Corinthians 13:4 & Ephesians 4:32
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. — 1 Corinthians 13:4
32 Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you. — Ephesians 4:32
Memory Verse
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs.”— 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (BSB)
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Matthew 14–15; Mark 6–7
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time.The Heart of It
Of all the things Paul could list first, he begins with these two. Love "is patient, love is kind." And this is not the easy kind of patience. It's the patience that keeps loving a person who is slow, or annoying, or even unkind back. Kindness is its twin. Patience holds back the harsh word. Then kindness goes one step further and does something good. Together they are the everyday workhorses of love. They show up most in a busy house full of brothers and sisters who don't always agree. It's easy to be patient and kind with people who are easy. The real test of love is what we do when it's hard.
So where do we get the power to be patient and kind on the hard days? Paul tells us in : "Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you." Look at those little words just as. We can be patient with others because God has been so patient with us. We can be kind because He has been so kind to us in Jesus. This is how the gospel changes the heart of a home. We remember how patiently God puts up with our slow, stubborn hearts. We remember how kindly He keeps forgiving us. And then we suddenly have more patience and kindness to give away. Hurt people lash out. Loved people can absorb a lot.
Around the Table
"Patient" means I don't get cross when I have to wait. "Kind" means I do something nice. Love does both!
Let's do it: Wait your turn nicely for something today, then do one kind thing for a brother or sister.
It's easy to be patient with easy people. Love is being patient and kind even when someone is hard to love.
Let's talk: Who is someone in your life it's hard to be patient with? What's one kind thing you could do for them this week?
We are kind to others because God has been kind to us in Christ. His patience with us gives us patience with others ().
Let's go deeper: When you remember how patient God has been with you, how does it change the way you want to treat the person who frustrates you most?
💬 Conversation Starter
What's the longest you've ever had to wait for something exciting? How did you act while you waited?— Patience is love that keeps its cool!
🛡️ Defending the Faith
Some say being patient and kind makes you a doormat. But Jesus was endlessly patient and kind, and He still spoke hard truth and stood firm. Patience is strength under control, not weakness. We can say so respectfully (), showing the very kindness we're defending.
For Dad · Go Deeper
Nowhere does a father's patience get tested like in his own home, at the end of a long day, with kids who push the same buttons for the hundredth time. Here's the heart issue worth examining. Impatience usually isn't really about the child. It's about us. We get provoked when something we love gets threatened. It might be quiet, or order, or our own comfort, or our timeline. Anger exposes what we're worshiping in the moment. And the gospel cuts in right there. God has been patient with you far beyond a hundred offenses. And it is His kindness, not His harshness, that leads us to repentance (). So lead your kids the way God leads you. Give them a patience that outlasts their failures and a kindness that surprises them.
Draws on: Paul David Tripp, Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, thank You for being so patient and kind with us, even when we are slow and stubborn. Forgive us for the times we are short and harsh with each other. Fill us with Your Spirit. Help us be patient and kind, even when it is hard. In Jesus' name, amen."
God has been patient and kind with me. So I can be patient and kind, even when it's hard.