@ LibertyGal

Once again here are the fruits of the Spirit as defined in Galatians 5.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23) {emphasis mine}

A Young Example

When I think of Godly kindness, I think of my eldest son. He always puts others above himself. He always considers other’s needs and point of view. He goes out of his way to help or talk to those who are lonely and hurting. He is unbelievably accommodating and caring to his younger brother, who has Down Syndrome. When we ask him for help, he instantly and cheerfully stops what he is doing to help. Nothing, but God, can make a teenage boy (now a young man) be as kind and self sacrificing as he is.

Do not let kindness and truth leave you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
So you will find favor and good repute
In the sight of God and man. (Proverbs 3:3-4)

My son is such an amazing example of kindness that everyone who has met him notices and most comment on it. He stands out as a light in this dark world.

Bless Those Who Curse You

God calls us to all exhibit kindness. When we are kind, even to those who are unkind to us, we point the world to God. We stand out like a shining beacon in this grumpy, divided world.

“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:27-36)

Putting Others First

Kindness is related to love, but is a little different. Kindness is acting in a loving manner even to those who are hateful to you and to those whom you don’t really like. It is seeing the hurt and pain in others instead of the hate and reaching out with the same mercy that God had for you. It is putting another’s good above your own. It is doing this not only for those whom you love, but also those who hate you, mistreat you, and who are undeserving. We do this because God showed love to us when we were undeserving. It is acting based on the other person’s need instead of based on our own hurt. It is amazing how, when our focus is on God and the needs of others, the same words and actions that would previously drive us into a rage, instead will engender pity, mercy, and care.

When my son was flying home from college for the summer, he had a succession of problems with his flight. First his flight was delayed several hours due to mechanical issues delaying it into the afternoon. Then after finally taking off, they couldn’t land at their intended location because of severe thunderstorms and even the risk of tornados. Instead they landed at an airport in a completely different state. While waiting to return to the intended location, he had to wait in the airport for hours.

My son is very frugal. He is generous with others and has insisted on buying gifts for his friends since he was around 10 years old (maybe younger) so that they would be from him, but he doesn’t like to spend any money on himself. He definitely doesn’t want to spend the high prices of airport food, but is an always hungry teenage boy. We told him over the phone that he should go to the service desk and ask for food vouchers since the original delay was mechanical problems and to not take “no” for an answer because they wouldn’t have had weather issues if not for their mechanical issues. He refused to go get vouchers because he said there were a bunch of people in line that looked to be in greater need than he was. He put their comfort and need above his own. This is the exact attitude that God calls us to and is a fruit that we should show if we are saved. True, many of us may show it as an unripe and misshapen fruit, but the fruit should still be there, especially when we make an effort to obey God.

Imitate the Kindness of Christ

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, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. (Ephesian 4:31-32)

Based on what God has done for us:

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

We should show the same love, kindness, and mercy towards others who need Jesus as we did. Instead of focusing on how we were wronged, we should focus on their need.

You may say, “That’s not fair.” Maybe not, but it is right and it actually can end up to our benefit. When we act kindly towards someone who does not act kindly towards others or ourselves, we point them to Jesus because we are different than the world. If that person accepts Jesus, we have gained a brother or sister in Christ. We have changed the world for the better (through the power of the Spirit). It feels good when someone changes from hate to kindness and goes from unsaved to a child of God.

I worked two summers as an intern for a design build construction company while I was in college getting my electrical engineering degree. I worked with a drafter who would draw up my electrical drawings. He had been doing this for a good number of years. I was a newbie designing these systems for buildings. He resented me because he wanted to do the job I had been hired to do, but the company only wanted to hire people with EE degrees for the job. (Ironically the top electrical guy didn’t have a degree.) The drafter would point out any error I made in a very unkind way, but I just worked and did my best.

After a long time working with Him, a big group from work went to a free lunch at a local mega-church (actually the church I was attending at the time.) As a ministry the church did a free lunch once a month and preached to the attendees during lunch. At this lunch, the drafter sat near me and asked me, why I had always been kind to him despite him not being kind to me. I told him it was because I was a Christian. I would like to say that he became a born-again Christian at that moment, but that didn’t happen. At the same time, our relationship almost instantly changed. I was no longer picked on. Any corrections were done kindly. Working together was done with mutual respect. This never would have happened if I had responded in the same way I was treated. I would like to think that that was a seed I planted that God later brought to fruition, but I will never know until I reach heaven. Still, it was so worth it.

The Sweetness of Kind Words
The heart of the wise instructs his mouth
And adds persuasiveness to his lips.
Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. (Proverbs 16:23-24)

A person with the fruit of the Spirit always talks in a kind, pleasant way that is sweet to those who hear. Some that hate us may not appreciate the kindness at the time, but it will make a difference. They may initially hate us more because of our kindness because it accentuates their hate and no one wants to think of themselves as hateful. We all want to think well of ourselves.

Are your words known for their kindness? Are you gentle with your words or are you known for your sharp, cutting words? If the latter, pray that the Spirit would help you have self-control and kindness in your words. Our Christian response should always be different.

Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. (1 Peter 2:1-3)

Be Kind in Gratefulness for the Kindness of Jesus

We should be kind because God was kind to us and we want to show the world what God is like.

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; (Philippians 2:3)

Is there any other religion or belief system where its adherents are encouraged to put others first and not seek our own benefit from our words and actions? I don’t think so! When we act in this manor, we stand out in the crowd. People see that there is something different about us. We can be used by God to make a difference in the world and in other people’s lives.

For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:3-7)

Kindness is just being grateful for what Jesus did for us and doing for others what Jesus did for us. Obviously we will never succeed in being as kind and merciful as Jesus, but the Spirit enables to do more than a natural man ever could.

Therefore, return to your God, Observe kindness and justice, And wait for your God continually. (Hosea 12:6)

Obedience Encourages Kindness

Paul talks about working hard so we are able to be kind and minister to those in need. He used his own work and generosity as part of his witness for Christ.

You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me. In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’  ” (Acts 20:34-35)

Although the fruit of the Spirit, kindness, is something only spoken of as being given to Christian believers in the New Testament, the command to be kind has been spoken of in the Bible throughout the Old Testament as well. It isn’t a new command. This verse tells more about kindness:

Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah saying, “Thus has the Lord of hosts said, ‘Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.’ (Zechariah 7:8-10)

Take this to heart and let kindness flow through you.

Trust Jesus

Check out the whole series, Fruits of the Spirit