Kindness in Action
“NO MATTER HOW EDUCATED, TALENTED, RICH OR COOL YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE, HOW YOU TREAT PEOPLE ULTAMATELY SAYS IT ALL ABOUT WHO YOU ARE”.
Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”
We have to intentionally put on Kindness, just as Apostle Paul says in Colossians 3:12. Why? Because the Holy Spirit lives in us.
Colossians 3:12 NLT
“Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”
Kindness flows from the Holy Spirit’s presence in a believer’s heart. Therefore, it is impossible to fake godly kindness.
When you look at the first five words of Colossians 3:12…it all begins with belonging to God. We notice when comparing; kindness, humility, and the other attributes, that these all flow from the fact that we belong to God.
We have been uniquely gifted and uniquely called by the Holy Spirit to live out kindness and living out this kindness as a fruit of the Spirit is going to require patience from us.
I define kindness this way, doing for others as God has done for us as a way of saying to them:
· I see you
· I value you
· I care
It’s a mindset, a settled position of the mind and heart that will not be moved!
Kindness is this DISPOSITION (Nature-character) that says:
- I’m going to have this mindset,
- I’m going to have this attitude,
- I’m going to have this tenderness towards you, no matter what you do, how you act, or what you say.
IT’S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CULTIVATE THE GIFT OF KINDNESS.
Scripture tells us very clearly that KINDNESS IS NOT NATURAL FOR HUMANITY.
Romans 3:12(TPT)
“All have deliberately wandered from God’s ways. All have become depraved and unfit. Kindness has disappeared from them all, not even one is good.”
That word GOOD here… means KIND…There is not even one. The scripture communicates that just as human beings cannot fly; human beings cannot be KIND apart from God helping us to be kind.
We NEED the POWER of the Holy Spirit to be kind because God has been kind towards us.
WHAT DOES KINDNESS LOOK LIKE?
1. Kindness is RADICAL
LUKE 6:36-36 “But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.”
For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.”
This portion talks of love, and we see the evidence of Kindness displayed and blessings we can appropriate for our lives.
This kindness explained here is not normal. It’s radical to love your enemies, pray for them and do good to them who spitefully uses you and to show kindness to an unthankful and evil person.
IT’S RADICAL TO GIVE SOMETHING TO SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY TAKES FROM YOU.
KINDNESS says: Its what God has done for me and not what you may do to me. It’s a radical act to show kindness to other people!!!!
2. Kindness is ACTIVE
Kindness is not about our words we use, it’s not about the feelings that I have, and its not about my thoughts.
KINDNESS is SOMETHING WE DO! It’s ACTIVE.
Notice in the scripture it says, do good, be kind to the unthankful and evil, make a huge sacrifice, give from your heart.
It’s all ACTIVE WORDS, its something we do, not something we talk about. But we need to be actively involved in KINDNESS.
We learn from David how he was actively involved with kindness in; 2 Samuel 9:3 NKJV “Then the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God? And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.”
2 Samuel 9:7 NKJV
“So David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.”
We see how David showed kindness with a heart of restoration. After Saul had tried to kill David, he showed a kind heart to Saul’s son Johnathan, and grandson Mephiboseth.
KINDNESS brings RESTORATION
3. Kindness does not DISCRIMINATE.
I love how Jesus is saying in Luke 6:32, Hey if you do this…even sinners do that. If you only love those who love you, even sinners do that! If you only give to those, hoping they will pay you back, even sinners do that!!!
And what I appreciate about this is, its a reminder that God does not discriminate against anyone. God loved us even when we messed up, while we were offended, full of bitterness, and while we were ungodly.
God’s kindness is towards all of humanity. No matter how they feel about God or how they respond to Him, this does not discriminate them from His Kindness.
Don’t be picky to who you want to be kind to but have a desire to be just like your Heavenly Father who shows kindness to everyone.
Be influenced by the KINDNESS OF GOD.
4. Kindness requires us to live a life without BITTERNESS.
Ephesians 4:31-32 NKJV “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”
Bitterness is wickedness:
· It’s hurtful,
· its cruel,
· It’s harsh,
· it tears down people and does not a build them up.
When we choose to surrender to the Holy Spirit for kindness to be produced in our lives, as part of the surrendering process, we must reject bitterness, anger, shouting, slander etc. we need to reject EVERYTHING that is inconsistent with KINDNESS.
Anything that goes against kindness, ask the Holy Spirit to cleanse you of all that is not of God. I’m so sure you don’t want those spirits (germs) to take the place of the gift of Kindness.
Choose to be KIND to others.
Who you are is measured by how kind you are towards others and how you make them feel. Ephesians 4:32 says.. to be kind to each other!!!
IN THIS WORLD, IF YOU CAN BE ANYTHING…BE KIND!!!
“In the long run the sharpest weapon of all is a kind and gentle spirit” (1 Peter 3:4)
No one has ever made themselves great by showing how small or insignificant another person is.
WERE YOU KIND TODAY?
AND WILL YOU BE KIND TOMORROW?
Forgive quickly
Love deeply
Ps.Lil ❤