Kindness

The kindness of God

To all

Paul to the pagans at Lystra.

See also ;

To his people

Isaiah 63:7 ESV

I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord, the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel that he has granted them according to his compassion, according to the abundance of his steadfast love.

See also ; ;

To the king

2 Samuel 22:51 ESV

Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.”

See also

To individuals

Lot; Abraham; Jacob; Joseph; Ruth; Naomi; Job; Mephibosheth through David

The kindness of Jesus Christ

Matthew 9:36 ESV

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

See also ; ; ; ; ;

Its demonstration in the gospel

Titus 3:4–5 ESV

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

See also God’s grace extending to the Gentiles while the Jews are judged for their unbelief;

Failure to acknowledge God’s kindness is a sin

Psalm 106:7 ESV

Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.

See also ;

Kindness encouraged in people

In the OT

;

See also ; ; ; ;

In the NT

Ephesians 4:32 ESV

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

See also ; ; ; seen as the result of the Holy Spirit’s work in the believer; ; ; a necessary characteristic of a church leader; ;

Examples of human kindness

By unbelievers

the Kenites to Israel; the king of Babylon to Jehoiachin; the centurion Julius to Paul; the Maltese islanders to Paul and his companions

By God’s people

Abraham to Abimelech; Joseph to Jacob; Joseph to his brothers when he might have been expected to settle old scores; the spies to Rahab

Between Ruth and Boaz:

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Between David and Jonathan:

;

The men of Gilead have their kindness rewarded; Solomon to Barzillai; Peter to a beggar

When kindness fails

The failure to show kindness

Psalm 109:16 ESV

For he did not remember to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and the brokenhearted, to put them to death.

See also the Israelites to Gideon’s family; Rehoboam to the Israelites; evil men to needy women

Failure to respond to kindness

2 Samuel 10:2–4 ESV

And David said, “I will deal loyally with Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father dealt loyally with me.” So David sent by his servants to console him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the Ammonites. But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it?” So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved off half the beard of each and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away.

Failure to remember kindness

2 Chronicles 24:22 ESV

Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and avenge!”