2/14/2024
Elijah McSwain, Sr.
Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV — But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
The world that we live in is often unkind in a variety of ways. Seemingly, it is filled with bitterness, resentment, hatred, contention, jealousy, rivalry, belittlement, unhappiness, complaining, grumbling, ridicule, mockery, and so many other facets that speak to the negativity that we see displayed in the world on a daily basis.
As we observe the world around us, it would appear that there is a lack of generosity, kindness, and compassion. When dialogue is exchanged between individuals it is more unwholesome than edifying. When you stroll through social media it is more offensive and distasteful than impactful. When we compare the lives of one person to another it is a means to degrade and give preference of one over the other as opposed to a time to uplift and encourage both. When promotions are given to others it is a time of murmuring instead of applauding their efforts. When blessings flow to another person it is seen as a time of jealous and speculation. When times are hard for others it is often seen as an opportunity to pass judgment rather than a time to lend a helping hand. In addition, with basis boldly being viewed on the news, with crimes on the rise, with the mistreatment of others frequently taking place, with corruption happening in many sectors of life, with senseless violence happening in different areas of the world, and much more, life overall seems to be unkind more than it visibly displays kindness.
The modern mentality and lifestyle of the world today has made many people become unkind. The mentality of thinking along the lines of me, myself, and I has aided the narrative of the world being labeled as unkind. People verbalize that it is unfair that the rich get richer, and that the poor get poorer through certain systematic loopholes that keep certain people confined to their current reality. It is deemed unkind when things are institutionally set up to keep people marginalized and oppressed. It is unfortunate when families are broken up because the unkind treatment of either the husband or the wife. All of these situations are given as examples to relate the logic that many believe that we live in an unkind world.
However, despite the present evil and unfortunate realities that are taking place in this world, it should not overshadow that there is a great deal of kindness being demonstrated throughout the world.
There are many random acts of kindness that cannot go unnoticed:
Kidney donors
Philanthropic acts
Charitable deeds of donations to colleges
Donations for cancer research
Building of schools in poverty-stricken areas
Homes are being built for those who lack shelter.
Support groups are created to aid those who are struggling with the issues of life.
Care is being given to the elderly.
People are kind in helping the elderly cross the street.
People take it upon themselves to clean homes of the elderly.
A simple gesture as opening a door at the store displays kindness.
Adoption is being granted to abandon children.
Buying someone lunch.
Paying for someone’s gas or groceries.
Buying presents for children doing Christmas who otherwise may have to go without.
And much more.
In this blog, it is my intent to highlight kindness from a divine perspective relating to the kindness of God only from a glimpse and to analyze kindness as a virtue in the life of the believer.
The Kindness of God
Galatians 5:22 informs us that God is kind based on kindness being part of the cluster pertaining to the fruit of the Spirit. Kindness is a virtue that derives from God. The word kindness suggests that a person is morally inclined with a sense of goodwill, has a generous character, and is very compassionate.
Kindness is reflective of God. God is the kindest Being ever known to mankind. Even when God demonstrates His righteous wrath against sin and iniquity His kindness is still unmatched. The kindness of God does not cancel out His right to exercise His wrath and His exhibition of wrath does not cancel out His goodwill to be kind.
Romans 11:22 showcase this truth by the declaration “therefore, consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.” The Gospel Transformation Study Bible states that “God is both kind and severe, depending on how we approach Him; to approach Him with presumption is to risk His judgment.” 1 The MacArthur Study Bible would add to this fact that “all of God’s attributes work in harmony; there is no conflict between His goodness and love, and His justice and wrath. Those who accept His gracious offer of salvation experience His goodness (2:4); those who reject it experience His severity (2:5).” 2
The kindness of God is contingent upon His desire to bestow His goodness towards all of humanity. Matthew 5:44b implies “for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” In general, the kindness of God is made manifest toward all of humanity in a nondiscriminatory manner. Every inhabitant of the world whether saved or unsaved experiences the kindness of God through common grace.
“The doctrine of common grace encompasses the biblical teaching about the universal and undeserved goodness of God toward sinners. By common grace, God confers nonredemptive blessings on all mankind.” 3
Some examples of common grace include just existing in God’s universe, the ability to experience the natural world, having the activity of our limbs, being in a state of vibrancy, having eyesight, being able to breathe in air (the ability to contract and expand our lungs), the ability to think and reason, the reality of having children through marital procreation, the realism of having an appetite to taste and enjoy food, the notion of being able to speak and to hear, possessing the strength to work and engage in leisure activities, the ability to witness the daily provisions of God whether a person acknowledges or not that his or her blessings come from God, and all the blessings that humanity is able to experience at the hand of God that is a result of common grace. Our mobility, thinking capacity, our existence, our entire being, and everything that we have is a result of the benevolence of God.
God elects to extend kindness unto all creatures of His creation. As a human populace, we should never take the kindness of God lightly. Psalm 145:17 ESV states that "the LORD is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His works."
The kindness of the Lord is inexhaustible. As humans, we are fickle when it comes to being kind at times, but God is the typification of kindness.
Furthermore, the kindness of Lord is revealed in His desire to draw sinners unto Himself. Despite a fallen world being driven by evil, vile passions, displaying a sense of disdain toward God, and going against the will of God, God in His kindness elects to reach out to a fallen world to restore them unto Himself. From an overall standpoint, humanity chooses to operate in direct opposition to God, yet and still, God chooses to draw sinners by His love. He extends unto unbelievers an opportunity to experience His saving grace. This kindness was ultimately shown in Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:5-7 reveals this truth with the words of Paul "even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." Titus 3:4-7 adds further insight that "when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."
God offered Christ in human flesh for the sins of the world so that His kindness would be seen before the face of the world.
Offense after offense is what we committed before God, yet, He chose to do what we could not do for ourselves, that is save us. For those who would believe in the substitutionary atonement of Christ, the kindness of God washed away the filth of sin, regenerated us, poured out His Spirit on us, granted us everlasting life, and justified us.
The kindness of God changed the entire scope of our lives. We are no longer dead in sins and trespasses, we are no longer living in darkness, we are no longer alienated from God, we are no longer considered strangers to God, we are no longer spiritually destitute of vision, we are no longer deaf spiritually, we are no longer in a state of perishing, we are no longer naked spiritually because we are clothed with the righteousness of God, we are no longer enemies of God because we have been made His friends, we are no longer condemned, and we are no longer awaiting an eternal sentence in hell because the kindness of God drastically made a difference in our lives for those who have repented and believed.
The Gospel Transformation Study Bible states “mankind was dead, disobedient, demonic, and destined for destruction. We were prodigal, scoundrels, vile, impure, unholy, treacherous, self-absorbed, self-exalting, out-and-out rebels. That’s the bad news. And the good news: But God! We were dead but God made us alive in Christ. We were not strugglers in need of a helping hand or sinking swimmers in need of a raft; we were stone-cold dead- spiritually lifeless, without a religious pulse, without anything to please God. But He loves the loveless, gives life to the lifeless, and is merciful to those deserving no mercy.” 1
God is kind even though as sinners we did not deserve His kindness. In connection with such kindness we have everlasting benefits now and for all eternity. As converted individuals, we now enjoy the special grace of God and must tell of His kindness to the world. Psalm 63:3 is penned "because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You." Isaiah 63:7 is written "I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD has bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which He has bestowed on them according to His mercies, according to the multitude of His lovingkindnesses."
Jonathan Landry Cruze wrote “what a God is our God! Kindness is a key component of the character of God. You cannot know who God is without knowing that He is kind. In His very heart, in the core of His being, He is concerned with the welfare of others. He desires to see others flourish and succeed. He is kind; He is Kindness.” 4
Kindness As A Virtue of The Believer
Galatians 5:22 reveals that the fruit of the Spirit as it relates to kindness should flow through the life of every believer. Every Christian should be known by the virtue of kindness. Kindness is of God; therefore, kindness should be a core part of the believer since God’s Spirit is indwelling within us. Grant Richison communicated that “kindness is active benevolence toward others that mimics God’s kindness toward us. If God is kind toward us, we should be kind toward others.” 5 Kindness should divinely flow through us and should be noticeable to other people.
Our kindness should not be a pretense of only doing a deed to gain something in return. Our kindness should be rooted in God and in turn we delight to aid others in need by being like our heavenly Father.
The Spirit fuels us to be generous, compassionate, morally upright in speech, and possess the ability to have a spiritual disposition of being kind. You may ask, in what ways can we be kind? One way for followers of God to be kind is through the personification of wholesome speech. As aforementioned in the introduction of this blog, it was mentioned that one way that people show unkindness in the world is through corrupt speech and unwholesome communication. Such speech and use of vain communication often leads to turmoil, disturbances, verbal wars, insensitive and harsh actions, and demeaning the character of others.
Ephesians 4:29 NKJV — Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
Words that are foul and rotten to the core stir up division and exhibit harm instead of building up and edifying the intended listener. The words that we speak should challenge others in their spiritual growth as iron sharpens iron. Our words should stir others unto good works. Our words should be inspiring, seasoned with grace, fruitful, enlightening, useful, and godly. As we speak along these lines, our dialogue with others will reflect the mind of God and the heart of God. A tamed tongue or speech that is controlled by the Holy Spirit will steer people in the right direction as a result of simply being kind.
The virtue of kindness should be seen in the life of every believer by preferring one another. Romans 12:10 informs us to "be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another." The ability to recognize other individuals is an excellent way of projecting the virtue of kindness. It is a way of thinking of others over ourselves.
Adam Clarke once made the pronouncement to “consider all your brethren as more worthy than yourself; and let neither grief nor envy affect your mind at seeing another honored and yourself neglected.” 6
Our view of others has a drastic impact on whether we are willing to be kind to them or not. When Christians are governed by kindness in taking every chance to uplift and prefer our fellowman then harsh words, brutal thoughts, rude interactions, relentless and ruthless activity, and nonsense will begin to cease. Not only that but simply preferring the welfare of others extends a helping hand when others are in need.
Proverbs 19:17 ESV — Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his deed.
When we show kindness to other people in the situations that they find themselves in, we honor the Lord. The act of genuinely being kind does not go unnoticed because God rewards those who give and help from a willingly heart. Proverbs 21:21 ESV declares "whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor."
The life of God’s people should model kindness to the highest degree. As we grow in our faith, our faith should display the fruitfulness of the Spirit. The fruitfulness of the Spirit should shape us in everything that we do.
2 Peter 1:5-7 proclaims that "for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love." When we grow in spiritual maturity, our kindness will be shown in our thought process, speech, conduct, interaction with others, and our treatment of others. Those who are governed by the Spirit of God should act in accordance with the fruit of His Spirit.
References
The Gospel Transformation Study Bible
The MacArthur Study Bible
Jonathan Landry Cruse. The Character of Christ.
Grant Richison. Verse By Verse Commentary.
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Romans 12:10". "The Adam Clarke Commentary".