Daily Devotion: Monday

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 78:46-60

Wisdom for the Day: Job 5:17-27

Scripture Reading: Luke 7:1-10

These verses describe the miraculous cure of a sick man. A centurion, or officer in the Roman army, applies to our Lord on behalf of his servant and obtains what he requests. A greater miracle of healing than this, is nowhere recorded in the Gospels. Without even seeing the sufferer, without touch of hand or look of eye our Lord restores a dying man to health, by a single word. He speaks and the sick man is cured. He commands and the deadly disease departs. We read of no prophet or apostle, who wrought miracles in this manner. We see here the finger of God!

We should notice in these verses the KINDNESS of the centurion. It is a part of his character which appears in three ways.

We see his kindness in his treatment of his servant. He cares for him tenderly when sick, and takes pains to have him restored to health.

We see his kindness again in his feeling towards the Jewish people. He did not despise them as other Gentiles commonly did. The elders of the Jews bear this strong testimony, "He loves our nation."

We see his kindness lastly in his liberal support of the Jewish place of worship at Capernaum. He did not love Israel "in word and tongue alone but in deed." The messengers he sent to our Lord supported their petition by saying, "He has built a synagogue for us."

Let us learn a lesson from the centurion's example. Let us, like him, show kindness to everyone with whom we have to do. Let us strive to have an eye ready to see, and a hand ready to help, and a heart ready to feel, and a will ready to do good to all. Let us be ready to weep with those who weep, and rejoice with those who rejoice.

This is one way to recommend our religion, and make it beautiful before men. Kindness is a grace that all can understand. This is one way to be like our blessed Savior. If there is one feature in Jesus' character more notable than another it is His unwearied kindness and love. This is one way to be happy in the world, and see good days. Kindness always brings its own reward. The kind person will seldom be without friends.

Prayer for the Day: Dear Lord, help me to be kind to others and show them Jesus.

Action Plan: Kindness can be difficult to achieve, but the Bible commands it for the Christian. Who are the people you are most unkind to? Why? How can you be kind to them out of obedience to the Lord?

This devotional was taken from The Gospel of Luke by J.C. Ryle published in 1858

and adapted by Pastor Tim Lewis of New England Shores Baptist Church.