Kindness

The kindness of God

To all

Paul to the pagans at Lystra.

See also ;

To his people

Isaiah 63:7 NIV

I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us— yes, the many good things he has done for Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses.

See also ; ;

To the king

2 Samuel 22:51 NIV

“He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.”

See also

To individuals

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

The kindness of Jesus Christ

Matthew 9:36 NIV

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

See also ; ; ; ; ;

Its demonstration in the gospel

Titus 3:4–5 NIV

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 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,

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 NIV

When our ancestors were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.

See also ;

Kindness encouraged in people

In the OT

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See also ; ; ; ;

In the NT

Ephesians 4:32 NIV

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God 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:

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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 NIV

For he never thought of doing a kindness, but hounded to death the poor and the needy and the brokenhearted.

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 NIV

David thought, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father. When David’s men came to the land of the Ammonites, the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Hasn’t David sent them to you only to explore the city and spy it out and overthrow it?” So Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the buttocks, and sent them away.

Failure to remember kindness

2 Chronicles 24:22 NIV

King Joash did not remember the kindness Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had shown him but killed his son, who said as he lay dying, “May the Lord see this and call you to account.”