Be Kind - February 16

Read Ephesians 4:31-32

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Reflect

What do you think it means to be kind to one another?

Posters, mugs, T-shirts, and slogans urge us to “Just Be Kind.” Initiatives encourage people to practice random acts of kindness and “pay it forward.” You see, even the secular world understands the benefits of living in a society marked by kindness. The idea is that the world would be a better place if everyone was simply kind to one another.

But what does it really mean to be kind? Inspirekindness.com says that “kindness can mean different things to different people. The meaning is in how YOU choose to show it. Be it through empathy, acceptance, kind gestures, thoughtfulness, the possibilities are entirely up to you. Kindness might look like being helpful or showing empathy. It may mean doing nice things without expecting nice things in return”

But when we go back to the Bible, we see that kindness is a Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). That means that kindness is a characteristic of God. True believers exhibit kindness as evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in their life. So, the question is not “what does kindness mean to you” but rather “What does God’s Word say kindness is?”

In today’s verses, Paul described how Christians are to live now that they have a new life in Christ. First, he described how not to behave—with bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice. These behaviors are the opposite of kindness and represent the “old self” or the way they lived before they were followers of Christ.

Instead, Paul told believers to be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving one another as we have been forgiven by Christ. What struck me about this verse is that Paul is not saying be kind to people who are kind to you or be tenderhearted towards the people that you love. When Paul added that we are to “forgive one another as God in Christ forgave you” we see the full extent of the kindness that we are supposed to extend to others. We are supposed to be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving even to those who don’t deserve it because that’s how kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving God is of us. He was loving, kind, and forgiving to us when we were still sinners (Romans 5:8).

In Luke 6:32-35, Jesus said, “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.”

“For he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil” Wow. That is certainly challenging, isn’t it? And yet, that is exactly how Christ treated us. We were undeserving and yet, He laid down His life for us. Paul said that the riches of God’s kindness, forbearance, and patience are meant to lead us to repentance (Romans 2:4). When those of us who have accepted His kindness towards us and have repented from our sins, are kind to others, who knows? Maybe the experience of receiving underserved favor from a Christian will point them to Christ and lead them to repentance and faith as well.

Respond

Lord, thank You for Your kindness to me. I didn’t deserve it and I can’t repay You for it. Help me to extend the same kindness to everyone around me. Yes, even to those who are evil, ungrateful, undeserving, and unable to repay me. Use my kindness to point people to You and lead them to saving faith and repentance. Amen.

Reveal

Choose to do a random act of kindness towards someone in your life who doesn’t deserve it today—in Jesus’ name.