Kindness: Is A Behavior.

Sub-Heading: Putting on Kindness

Good morning, and welcome back into God’s house of worship, love, praise, and biblical teachings here at Old Spanish Trail Baptist Church. Much Love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness from God, our Father, through Jesus Christ our King, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us, the children of God.

Scripture Reading: Turn with me to Galatians 5:223-23; Repeat Galatians 5:22-23. While you turn to Galatians 5:22-23 let me speak for a moment on kindness.

Kindness: “what is the biblical definition of kindness? Kindness is selfless, compassionate, and merciful; its greatest power revealed in practice to our enemies and amongst the lest of these. Love your neighbor; show kindness to EVERYONE. For a perfect emblem of Biblical kindness, we need to look no further than Jesus”(Geneva College, What Does Biblical Kindness look Like).

“What are the characteristic traits of behavior? Kindness is generally thought of as the quality of being friendly, considerate, and generous. A kind person considers the feelings of others, tries to help them, and avoids actions to harm. Affection, empathy, and giving to others are qualities of a kind person”(July 14, 2020, The Ethics of Kindness).

“Kindness is considered a virtue. It is an excellence of character that drives ethical decisions. People who are kind act that way, not for any reward or even recognition but because it is the right way to behave and how a person wishes others would act towards themselves”(July 14, 2020, The Ethics of Kindness).

If you are with me at Galatians 5:22-23, say amen; would you please stand in honoring the reading of God’s inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things, there is no law.

Opening Prayer!

Introduction: Biblical Examples of Kindness

“The Bible contains remarkable examples of various Bible characters acting with compassion. Many Bible stories are filled with kindness, mercy, and compassion, along with calls for God’s people to follow the example of the heroes of the faith”(Compassion.com). “For example, Joseph of Arimathea who prepared his tomb for his Messiah, or the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her hair. Through them, we learn that showing compassion and kindness is not simply about being nice — it can be an act of worship of our Savior”(Compassion.com).

The Fruit of Kindness takes:

time

work

change

and yes, the Power of the Holy Spirit in us to develop and grow in kindness.

“The fruit of the Holy Spirit is what God desires our lives reflect, and that includes kindness born of compassion!”(Compassion.com). Kindness can and will become contagious to others, but first, you have to be willing to share your heart with people.

Illustration: Kindness to a Stranger!

To show care and kindness to a stranger in need, one must put themselves aside to meet that person’s needs. Let’s say you just pulled into the Walmart parking and noticed an elderly lady wandering around in the parking lot. You receive in your heart a firm conviction by the Holy Spirit to go and assist the lady. Ask her if she needs help? Ask her if you can help her out in any way? At that moment, when you are prompted to help the lady, your mind tells you someone else can check on her. Your thoughts of selfishness can cause you heartache if you are not careful. However, nothing in this world is ever just about us. Acts of kindness are blessings designed to help others who are in need. It only takes a little kindness to cheer a sad, troubled, or worried heart. Suppose you see a person wandering in the parking lot. Ask them if they need help? Perhaps the person forgot where they parked their vehicle. For Hebrews 13:2 tells us, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it”(NASB 1995).

Little Kindnesses

You gave on the way a pleasant smile, And thought no more about it; It cheered a life that was sad the while, That might have been wrecked without it; And so for the smile and its fruitage fair You'll reap a crown sometime—somewhere.

You spoke one day a cheering word, And passed to other duties; It warmed a heart, new promise stirred, And painted life with beauties. And so for the Word and its silent prayer You'll reap a palm sometime—somewhere.

You lent a hand to a fallen one, A lift in kindness given; It saved a soul when help was none, And won a heart for Heaven; And so for the help you proffered(extended), there You'll reap a joy sometime—somewhere.—Selected.

If we knew what hearts are aching for the comforts we might bring, If we knew what souls are yearning for the sunshine, we could fling, If we knew what feet are weary walking pathways roughly laid, We would quickly hasten forward, stretching forth our hands to aid.—Selected.

The Bible tells us in the Old and New Testaments what kindness looks like, how we are to put it on(clothe ourselves in it), and how to grow in compassion.

Here we find in Job 6:14“He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.” Eliphaz, one of Jobs’ three friends, whom I like to call his three miserable comforters, “suggests that Job should consider his suffering as an indication that he has been a fool. Job argues that the one who withholds kindness from a friend is himself acting out of accord with wisdom forsakes the fear of the Almighty”(footnotes, ESV Study Bible).

Quote: Kindness is never-ever meant to be withheld from your friends, let alone those of us here in the Family of God. Whatever happened to people holding the door for one another? How about not gossiping about people or spreading rumors around town; Standing up for someone another person has bullied. Are we not listening to the conviction of the Holy Spirit within our hearts.

How about putting on kindness every morning? Make an honest decision to put on the attitude of compassion before you even walk out the door in the morning to start the new day.

God shows us throughout Scripture what His kindness looks like and how He commands us to put it on each day.

Titus 3:4-7 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, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Prompt: “According to this Scripture, why did God save us? How did He save us? What does the Holy Spirit do? Have you surrendered your life, dreams, and desires to Jesus? Let Him take over and make you new. The first things He’ll give you are love, joy, and peace”(wordsofandylee.com). God’s kindness was poured out on us, His children, Beloved, through salvation and Jesus coming into this world to pay the price for our filthy sins. There is no more extraordinary kindness than God’s kindness, church.

How many times do we see in the Old Testament? Where God showed Israel so much kindness, time and time again, for their repeated sinfulness against Him, the All-Loving God?

Isaiah 54:8

In a surge of anger, I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness, I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord your Redeemer.

Prompt: “Everlasting kindness” is Chesed, the Hebrew Word meaning “the attribute of grace, benevolence, or compassion. This is God’s promise to Israel. It is His character. Out of the kindness of His heart, He has compassion for His children and redeems our mistakes and failures. Have you experienced His redemption of sin in your life? Would you please write it down? Redemption can mean turning something for good”(wordsofandylee.com).

The Fruit of Kindness takes:

time

work

change

and yes, the Power of the Holy Spirit in us to develop and grow in kindness.

Does your behavior reflect the kindness of the Lord? If not, talk to God about Him helping you put on a tender heart of compassion towards others daily. Do you not know that showing acts of kindness each day to people reveals the Holy Spirit at work inside of you? God’s kindness changes us from the inside out. Do not walk around with misery and bitterness inside your heart against another person? Confess that junk to God! Let the Holy Spirit free you up of such wickedness. Ask Him to replace the sin of hate with kindness inside your heart. Listen Chruch: When you surrender yourself under the humility of the Lord, His kindness then can flow from your heart and become visible in your actions, words, and deeds. Become the one that the Lord tells, Well Done Good and Faithful Servant.

Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

When Kindness Is not Easy

“Let’s face it. Sometimes kindness is not easy. Sometimes it doesn’t flow out of us like we’d hoped because compassion is not always returned”(wordsofandylee.com). God knows long before we ever see that we are not always going to get it right. If you fail at showing kindness to people, and we will fail at times. Do not beat yourself up? You ask the Lord Jesus to forgive you, pick you up, dust you off, and get going forward again. Do not stay down when you fail? It is so easy for us to get stuck in our mistakes and sins. God loves you more than you could ever imagine or think.

“Kindness is humbly giving of ourselves in love and mercy to others who may not be able to give anything back, who sometimes don’t deserve it, and who frequently don’t thank us for it. Basically, kindness means a way of thinking that leads to doing thoughtful deeds for others”(wordsofandylee.com).

“When kindness is hard to give, take some time to stop and ask why.

Is it pride, unforgiveness, or judgment that doesn’t allow the kindness to flow?”(wordsofandylee.com). Self-examination is a requirement that we as Christians should be performing every day.

Why?

Because, if you have not figured it out yet, our flesh is vile and rotten to the core. By the grace of God through Jesus Christ, our King, Lord, Savior, and Messiah, who sent the comforter, our Helper, the Holy Spirit, to regenerate us and bring us back into a right relationship with God. Listen, the more you surrender to Abba, Father, and allow Him to work in and through. The more He will do through you every day.

1 John 3:17 says, "If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?"

“This means that love is not in words or speech. It is displayed in actions and truth. He says that love is active, not just felt, thought, or spoken”(Compassion.com).

Applications: To Putting on Kindness

Surrender: to the Holy Spirits’ prompting and allow Him to work His kindness in and through you each day.

Seek: look for ways to be kind to all people. Perhaps, you can hold the door open for someone, help a person put their groceries in the vehicle, or even help a person locate where they parked their car. There are plenty of opportunities to show a little kindness.

Share: the tender mercies of love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness with all people. As often as possible; after all, God commands us to clothe ourselves in the Fruit of the Spirit.

The Fruit of Kindness takes:

time

work

change

and yes, the Power of the Holy Spirit in us to develop and grow in kindness.

Let Us Pray!