New Year Devotions

We now move onto a topic that I have Called, “Small Steps of the Heart”

So today we start with the notion that “Kindness Begins Inside”, Jesus put such compassion in this way, Matthew 22:39 “Love your neighbour as yourself.” Such a statement assumes a healthy, God-honouring love for oneself—treating yourself with the same dignity, gentleness, and care you offer to others.

We often hear the call to be kind, patient, and compassionate toward others, yet Jesus’ command includes a deeper layer we sometimes overlook: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”

With those words, Jesus assumes something important—that a healthy, God-honouring love for oneself is not selfishness, but the starting point for genuine kindness. If we speak gently to others but harshly to ourselves… if we encourage others but condemn ourselves… if we care for others’ needs but ignore our own… then we have only understood half of Jesus’ command.

Kindness begins inside.
It begins with recognising that you are God’s beloved creation—worthy of dignity, patience, rest, and compassion. When we treat ourselves with the same grace God extends to us, our kindness toward others flows more freely and authentically. Self-compassion is not indulgence; it is alignment with the heart of Jesus, who invites the weary, wounded, and burdened to come and find rest.

Imagine standing before a cracked mirror. At a distance, it looks intact, but the closer you step, the more you notice the fractures—lines running in every direction. Now picture trying to clean someone else’s face using that mirror. No matter how hard you try, the reflection you offer back to them is distorted.

But when the mirror is gently restored—when its surface is healed—the image it reflects becomes clear.

Our inner life works the same way.
When we speak to ourselves with criticism, impatience, or shame, the “inner mirror” we use to see others becomes clouded. But when kindness begins within us—when our inner dialogue reflects God’s compassion—our ability to love others becomes clearer, warmer, and truer.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, teach us to receive Your compassion so we may extend it to ourselves. Heal the harshness in our inner thoughts and replace it with Your gentle truth. Help us to honour the life You’ve given us by treating ourselves with grace, dignity, and patience. And as kindness begins within our own hearts, let it overflow naturally to those around us. Shape us into reflections of Your love—both inwardly and outwardly. Amen.

Practice: Speak to yourself like a friend.