A Keurig Coffee Brewer

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:30-32 ESV). Not long ago Mary and I were walking through a department store and I walked down one of the aisles with kitchen countertop appliances on it. You know the scene. There were several different kinds of appliances and many different brands displayed. I stopped in the area displaying the coffee brewers. Mary asked, “Do we need a new coffee maker?” I told her that we didn’t. The old one was working just fine, but I was interested in a single-cup coffee brewer. I happened to be looking at the Keurig brand of such an appliance. Her response was “Why don’t you just get one?” I said, “No, they’re too high. And, besides, Christmas is close. Maybe Santa will bring me one.” She gave me that look that has been the same for over forty years that says, “sure, whatever.” She knows that when I get ready to purchase something, I usually just go and get it. I am very hard to buy a gift for in that way. I’m certain I’m not the only one you know that is like that. Some folks really are hard to buy for. They either don’t really need anything, or if they do, just go and purchase it. We’re not a lot of fun to shop for. In my case that’s true; however, I’m a lot of fun when I open gifts. Everything is a surprise! That brought me to a thought for today. What are some gifts you can give that everyone needs and rarely receive. Here are some suggestions: Give some of your time to someone who is lonely. Give a handwritten note of encouragement to someone who serves the public regularly. Give a specific word of affirmation to someone in your family. Give a home-cooked meal to someone who is sick or hungry. Give a second chance to someone who has failed. Give a gentle response to someone who is frustrated. These are the instructions Paul leaves with the Ephesians in our reading today. I’ve heard it paraphrased: “Just be nice.” Covering all the one another commands of the Bible is the umbrella of kindness. Swindoll says, “Kindness braids mercy and grace, humility and gentleness all together. Kindness gives grace, requires humility, and asks that we think of others before ourselves.” It really is a gift we can give that costs us nothing, but is worth everything. It is a gift each of us can give today and every day. I don’t need a new coffee maker, but I always need the kindness of others. Make it a priority to be kind today.