Is being Nice important?

[aspen]

Is it important to be a nice person? What does it mean to be nice? Is it supposed to be one of the fruits of our walk with Christ? Is 'nice different than being 'kind'? Is it different than being polite? I have noticed that I put a high value on 'nice' - my wife has even told me that I put too high a value on this characteristic and that most people place much less value on it. I admit that I see it as extremely important - what do you think?

 

[Thankful 1]

Is it important to be a nice person? What does it mean to be nice? Is it supposed to be one of the fruits of our walk with Christ? Is 'nice different than being 'kind'? Is it different than being polite? I have noticed that I put a high value on 'nice' - my wife has even told me that I put too high a value on this characteristic and that most people place much less value on it. I admit that I see it as extremely important - what do you think?

Being nice can be very self-serving.



A person has friends that are abusing their children. When he or she finds out about the abuse,say nothing to their friends, because they want to be nice.



A bishop learns that one of his priests isabusing children, and being nice to his priest lets him continue in hisministry

 

[Miss Hepburn]

Is it important to be a nice person?
What does it mean to be nice?
Is it supposed to be one of the fruits of our walk with Christ?
Is 'nice different than being 'kind'? Is it different than being polite? I have noticed that I put a high value on 'nice' - my wife has even told me
that I put too high a value on this characteristic and that most people place much less value on it.
I admit that I see it as extremely important - what do you think?

There are alot of questions there. :)

Simply put, 'nice' has many categories that fall under it's umbrella as you mentioned.

Kindness
Fairness
Tact
Sensitivity
Caring
politeness
courtesy
Etc.

When in doubt always reflect one of those, I say.
For you I think it comes naurally, right?
It is your nature.

Guess what, it is the nature of our Father, also. :)
As we get closer to Him we become more like Him.

Does that mean as Thankful brought up if there is a need to be firmer with someone we are not firmer? No.
There is a time and season for everything.
Balance is a natural result of our spiritual growth.


Guessing here:
Now, does your wife witness you being a "doormat" to people in the name of being nice?
That should be looked at - because it is part of our Father's nature to be strong and clear - we don't
help anyone by allowing them to have bad behavior.
Nice is nice, but clarity and strength are valuable attributes, also.

And firmness and clarity can be expressed with tact and sensitivity and politeness.

Take care, aspen,
:) Miss Hepburn

 

[timf]

What does it mean to be nice?

The origin of the word means to be without thought or thinking. In a way you could think of it as being non-threatening to someone because you were retarded.

Since our society has repudiated Christ, we have left behind the core societal value of truth. It has been replaced with a core societal value of comfort. The worst crime you can commit today is to make someone feel bad.

The Christian is to tell the truth in love.

Even in Christian circles many people have opted for the "warm fuzzy puppy" form of communication where everyone gushes meaningless drivel like a Hollywood starlet or a presidential candidate attempting to make everyone feel good.

Biblical love is just simple self-sacrifice. Often what passes for "Christian love" today is gooey emotional self-stimulating sentimentality.

Today when people ask others to be nice, they are often asking others to sustain the comfort of their self-delusions.