Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness

Bristol Road Baptist Church 17/06/07

An Argentine tournament golfer, called Robert De Vincenzo, after receiving his cheque was approached by a woman who said her child was near to death and needed paid hospital treatment. He took pity on her and signed over the cheque. He was later told by the golf club she was a fraud and that he had been conned. He said “you mean there was no baby who was dying?” That’s right he was told. He then said “That’s the best news I’ve heard all week”[1]

He was more willing to be conned than think there was a dying baby. That is kindness. He was treating the woman in a way she didn’t deserve.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:40f,

if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

It struck me as I was thinking about this that the list of the fruit of the Spirit here doesn’t include the word grace. (So the “fruit of the Spirit” here is not a definitive, all inclusive list – could add thankfulness, forgiveness, endurance…) It seems to me that kindness is related to grace here. A favourable attitude to people who perhaps don’t deserve it. It has been usefully described as “the ability to act for the welfare of those taxing your patience”[2] The connection between grace and kindness can be seen in Ephesians 2:4-8 (NIV):

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God

Like all the other aspects of the fruit we have looked at, we are called to live by it because it is the character of God. The fruit of the Spirit of God develops the character of God in us. Taking just a few OT and NT quotes,

Isaiah 54:8 (NIV)
… with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord your Redeemer.

Jeremiah 9:24 (NIV)
24 but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.

Hosea 11:4 (NIV)
4 I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them.

Romans 2:4 (NIV)
4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you towards repentance?

Titus 3:4-6 (NIV)
4 But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour,

So we are called to be kind because God is kind. This is the primary reason for the fruit of kindness in our lives, but there are more. Let me give you three secondary reasons for kindness:

1. You like people being kind to you.

in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you (Matt 7:12). We are all pretty intuitive when it comes to recognising unkindness. We feel hurt when it comes to us, whether by word or action. Here Jesus tells us to treat others as we would like them to treat us. I treat you kindly not to the degree that you treat me kindly but as I would like you treat me – whether you do so or not!

2. It will lead to respect.

Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honour. (Prov 21:21 ESV) The Good News version puts it, Be kind and honest and you will live a long life; others will respect you and treat you fairly. This suggests not only that being kind is the route to receiving kindness but respect. What’s the best way to gain respect? To show respect. In that same verse there is more. As Good News puts it, you will live a long life. Of course, longevity is not guaranteed by simply being kind. If you’re a kind person but smoke 100 cigarettes a day you may die “before your time” but the point is that…

3. Kindness is good for you.

A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself. (Prov 11:17) Anything that is like God and from God will be good for you. The fruit of kindness is included. Yet Paul had to write to the Colossians,

as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (3:12)

We all agree kindness is a good thing, a God thing. We all want it. Yet the Bible tells us we have to put it on like our clothes in the morning. We touched on this when looking at love. Unless you put your clothes on you’re naked. But even worse than going round naked is going round in the emperor’s new clothes, not realising that you’re actually naked. Here’s the story in summary…

Many years ago, there lived an emperor who was quite an average fairy tale ruler, with one exception: he cared much about his clothes. One day he heard from two swindlers named Guido and Luigi Farabutto that they could make the finest suit of clothes from the most beautiful cloth. This cloth, they said, also had the special capability that it was invisible to anyone who was either stupid or not fit for his position.

Being a bit nervous about whether he himself would be able to see the cloth, the emperor first sent two of his trusted men to see it. Of course, neither would admit that they could not see the cloth and so praised it. All the townspeople had also heard of the cloth and were interested to learn how stupid their neighbors were.

The emperor then allowed himself to be dressed in the clothes for a procession through town, never admitting that he was too unfit and stupid to see what he was wearing. He was afraid that the other people would think that he was stupid.

Of course, all the townspeople wildly praised the magnificent clothes of the emperor, afraid to admit that they could not see them, until a small child said:

"But he has nothing on!"

This was whispered from person to person until everyone in the crowd was shouting that the emperor had nothing on. The emperor heard it and felt that they were correct, but held his head high and finished the procession

As we saw last week, it seems that in the Galatian church there was some dubious spiritual living. Besides the tension of “rules versus grace” that dominates the letter, Paul’s list of acts of the sinful nature (19) that oppose “life in the Spirit”. Clearly some people in the church are not living “by the Spirit”. He sternly says I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Living a Christ-like life is living a kind life, gracious, forgiving, not holding grievances, not treating people as they deserve. To be a Christian and not clothe yourself with undeserved kindness towards others is to wear the emperors new clothes. To be clothed with true kindness is not the fruit of human kindness but the fruit of the Spirit. We sometimes sing:

Holy Spirit, we welcome You.

Please accomplish in us today

Some new work of loving grace, we pray;

Unreservedly have Your way.

Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit,

Holy Spirit, we welcome You.[3]

Will you sing that as a prayer to God this week?

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[1] Cited in T E Trask and W I Goodall, The Fruit of the Spirit p90

[2] As above p92.

[3] Chris Bowater, 1986 Sovereign lifestyle music.