The word “nice” is defined as “pleasant; agreeable; satisfactory.”  Pretty exciting, huh? This is not exactly the recipe for changing the world.  I’ve lived most of my life striving to be nice and have to some degree been successful (though others may disagree).  While many may view this to be a strength, I am seeing it more and more as a weakness.  Here’s why:

1. Being nice can be motivated by the desire to be liked.
2. Being nice can be motivated by the desire to avoid confrontation.
3. Being nice can be motivated by the desire to avoid hard truth.
4. Being nice can be motivated by the desire to preserve the status quo.

Have you ever considered the fact that you can be nice, and not loving?

Of all of the words used to describe Jesus, I am not aware of Him ever being referred to as “nice.”  In fact, there are some snapshots in the Gospels of Jesus being anything but nice (ex. cleansing the Temple, confronting sin, proclaiming absolute Truth).  Rather than be nice, Jesus was full of love and Truth-regardless of the consequences.  It is no surprise then that being “nice” is not a fruit of the Spirit.

It is my belief that, much like me, the evangelical church has greatly valued being nice (for the very same reasons listed above).  I am advocating for myself and for the church that we repent of being nice and embrace the character of Jesus instead.  This is not a call to be mean.  It is rather the opposite.  This is a call to be full of love and Truth regardless of the consequences. And that just might be the recipe for changing the world.

The righteous are bold as a lion. (Proverbs 28:1, ESV) 

P.S. Please don’t use this post to justify being a jerk.  If you do, you have missed the point.