(A follow-up to “Do We Need to Be So Harsh?”)

Country music fans will recognize this post’s heading as the title of Tim McGraw’s current number one song. If you’re not a fan of country music don’t worry—I’m not going to include the words or a link to him singing the song. I simply appreciate the song’s challenge to always stay humble and kind.

Who doesn’t need that challenge? I don’t know about you, but I certainly could do better when it comes to humility and kindness. I’m guilty sometimes of thinking more highly of myself that I should (see Romans 12:3).

Because I drive a lot I have XM radio and split my drive time listening to sports, news, and music. And I rotate the music I listen to between oldies but goodies and country. McGraw’s song is one of the few I hear that convicts and encourages me.

It seems to me that the two, humility and kindness, go together. Humble people tend to be kind–and kind people tend to be humble. In my experience, proud people are often cruel—and cruel people are proud.

Consider a couple of synonyms of humble: respectful and submissive. Think about a couple of synonyms of kind: considerate and gracious. I know I need to be more submissive and gracious, more considerate and respectful.

The Bible is clear that followers of Jesus need to cultivate both humility and kindness. Among many passages, four New Testament passages you might consider are Jesus in Luke 14:7-11, Paul’s description of love in I Corinthians 13:4-7, Paul’s list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22 and 23, and Paul’s call to us within the body of Christ in Ephesians 4:2. Go ahead and take the time to check out those four passages—it won’t take long at all.

When do we need to be humble and kind? And who are the people we need to show humility and kindness? I would suggest we begin with those closest to us—family and friends—and then include everyone with whom we come into contact. I think we should show humility and kindness to people we don’t even know—including those who serve us in so many ways.

It’s not in the Bible, but I note the song challenges us to always stay humble and kind. That suggests we may be humble and kind at one point in our lives only later to abandon those qualities. Or it may suggest that we are generally humble and kind but there are times when we are not. Do either of those suggestions ring true in your life—as they do in mine?

I plan to become kinder and more humble as a way of life. And not because of Tim McGraw’s song, but because I want to live more like the Lord wants me to live. We have to decide that we are going to be humble and kind and then with the Lord’s help do it.

Share these thoughts on social media and feel free to comment below.

photo credit: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/39734516@N00/5251719692″>Tim McGraw 3</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a&gt; <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/”>(license)</a&gt;