Kindness

Introduction

In my study of this attribute, I saw that several pastors tend to lump in kindness with goodness. However, I fully subscribe to the idea that they deserve their own separate focus. It is my hope that by the time we finish this week and next week (Lord willing) that you will understand exactly why.

Romans 2:4 NKJV

Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

Romans 2:4 ESV

Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

Do you see the difference?

One is a state of being and the other is an outward act that elicits a response.

That is an extremely simple way of saying it of course, so let’s see what the Lord has to say about KINDNESS today in His Word.

Galatians 5:22–23 NKJV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Defining Kindness

Characteristic that includes the attributes of loving affection, sympathy, friendliness, patience, pleasantness, gentleness, and goodness.

Kindness is a quality shown in the way a person speaks and acts. It is more volitional than emotional.

It is zeal towards another in a good sense.

Kindness sticks out like a sore thumb in society these days because it is so hard to find amongst humanity anymore.

People act with complete surprise if you hold a door for them, when just a few decades ago, it would have been considered extremely rude to not hold the door for someone.

People without God have built a life that is inward and selfishly focused.

Question: Do you consider yourself a kind person?

Are you friendly?

Generous?

Patient?

Easygoing?

Warm-hearted?

Thoughtful?

Fun to be with?

Maybe you’re thinking to yourself, “No, I’, not but I would like to meet someone like that...”

I want to tell you this morning that the kindness that I am speaking of is not a manmade kindness. The kindness that I am referring to is a deliberate work of the Holy Spirit in a believers life that goes above and beyond natural human kindness.

Kindness on steroids if you will...

Ephesians 4:32 NKJV

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Colossians 3:12 NKJV

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;

Christian Kindness

Paul blows the whole idea of kindness, or any other attribute of the fruit of the Spirit for that matter, being an automated thing in the life of a believer out of the water!

There are way too many Christians running around thinking they are on Holy Ghost autopilot, when the Word of God says for us to be intentional with “putting on” the attributes that God has given us.

Let’s look at this in another context for a moment;

Ephesians 6:11–18 NKJV

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

Now it should not take the discerning Christian very long to realize with the state of the Church in general that somebody forgot to put their armor on a while back...

The armor is there for every one of us as believers to protect us from the wiles of the devil everyday. But if we don’t take full advantage of what God has given, then is it His fault if we suffer needlessly as a result?

We should think of these things just like part of our daily routine; we wouldn’t get out of bed and forget to get dressed for the day would we?

Unless you’re going to Walmart of course, it appears many have forgotten to get dressed for the day that frequent that establishment in particular for some reason.

People are capable of kindness of course, even in their natural state. It appears in benevolence towards their fellow man, mutual favors, and benefits.

It is rare however, for humanity to show kindness without some type of gain to be had. Even if that gain is nothing more than notoriety among their peers.

Yet Godly kindness is different, it seeks out others with the intention of conveying the love that God has bestowed upon them.

2 Samuel 9:1–7 NKJV

Now David said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He said, “At your service!” Then the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.” So the king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.” Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar. Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, “Mephibosheth?” And he answered, “Here is your servant!” So David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.”

The idea is that King David wanted to express kindness “like that of God”, or “for the sake of God”. It was an unction that derived from the very work that God had shown in David’s own life.

O where are the people that are called by the name of the Lord that have been given kindness and are compelled to pay it forward?

When will the Church remember from whence she is fallen and show the lovingkindness that God has poured out so bountifully?

The Lovingkindness of God

Can I tell you this morning of a God that is so loving and kind that a special word had to be made up just to befit His grandeur?

God hasn’t just shown you kindness brothers and sisters, he has lavished you and loved you through His kindness towards you.

All throughout Scripture we can find the exclamations of God’s kindness to those that had been touched by it!

Psalm 31:21 NKJV

Blessed be the Lord, For He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!

Psalm 107:39–43 NKJV

When they are diminished and brought low Through oppression, affliction and sorrow, He pours contempt on princes, And causes them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way; Yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction, And makes their families like a flock. The righteous see it and rejoice, And all iniquity stops its mouth. Whoever is wise will observe these things, And they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.

You might say, “But when have these things directly affected me?” or “How do I know that His kindness is towards me personally?”

Ephesians 2:4–10 NKJV

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

In the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Friends, I am here to tell you that not only has God the Father shown kindness to us who were His enemies by sending Jesus to die for the penalty of our sin, but He is not anywhere near done with us who believe!

Lamentations 3:22–23 NKJV

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

Every single day of your life, God extends his kindness to you once again through His mercies and compassion.

In other words…His lovingkindness.

What will you do with it Church?

When you choose to utilize kindness, the Holy Spirit Himself will make it go so much further than human effort could ever accomplish.

Let’s pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us to the acts of kindness that will honor and glorify the Father that has so abundantly shown His lovingkindness towards us!