Cru Bible Study- Kindness

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College students helping with set-up before church. Once a month at 9:30am.

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Introduction

What are some synonyms for kindness?

Nice, loving,

To be honest when sitting down to prep for this lesson, I took one look at the word kindness and thought what am I going to say about kindness? There is so much to say about love, joy, peace, patience, and then we come to kindness. If I’m being honest kindness isn’t a regular Christian vocabulary word in the local church. It’s almost never used after you graduate high school.

In fact now days you hear the word nice replace the word kindness.

Fun Fact: Nice is never once used in the bible. Kindness, kindly, or kind is used 255 times in the bible.

What is the difference between nice and kindness?

Kindness- state of being that includes the attributes of loving affection, sympathy, friendliness, patience, pleasantness, gentleness, and goodness.

Nice- Polite- showing or characterized by correct social usage

Hopefully we see that kindness is much deeper than just being nice.

God shows us kindness

Read Ruth 1:8

Ruth 1:8 CSB

Naomi said to them, “Each of you go back to your mother’s home. May the Lord show kindness to you as you have shown to the dead and to me.

Read Ps. 36

Christian Standard Bible Psalm 36

1 An oracle within my heart

concerning the transgression of the wicked person:

Dread of God has no effect on him.,

2 For with his flattering opinion of himself,

he does not discover and hate his iniquity.

3 The words from his mouth are malicious and deceptive;

he has stopped acting wisely and doing good.

4 Even on his bed he makes malicious plans.

He sets himself on a path that is not good,

and he does not reject evil.

5 LORD, your faithful love reaches to heaven,

your faithfulness to the clouds.

6 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,

your judgments like the deepest sea.

LORD, you preserve people and animals.

7 How priceless your faithful love is, God!

People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

8 They are filled from the abundance of your house.

You let them drink from your refreshing stream.

9 For the wellspring of life is with you.

By means of your light we see light.

10 Spread your faithful love over those who know you,

and your righteousness over the upright in heart.

11 Do not let the foot of the arrogant come near me

or the hand of the wicked drive me away.

12 There! The evildoers have fallen.

They have been thrown down and cannot rise.

Romans 2:1-4

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 2

Therefore, every one of you, who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth. 3 Do you think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

How does God’s Kindness Lead Us to Repentance?

How has God treated you with kindness?

Since this is true, this means that when we glorify God by being showing kindness to others we give people an opportunity to see God’s kindness through us resulting in people having an opportunity to repent and to know God deeper.

Where/When is it hard to show People Kindness?

What would be some practical ways we can show kindness to others this week?