Fruit of the Spirit

5th Fruit of the Spirit:

Kindness

According to the Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary, the Greek word translated kindness here is “the divine kindness out of which God acts toward humankind. It is what the Old Testament means when it declares that ‘God is good,’ as it so frequently does. Christians should show kindness by behaving toward others as God has behaved toward them.” Essentially, it means “doing thoughtful deeds to others.” This fifth characteristic known as “kindness” which is called “gentleness” according to the King James Version. The Greek word for “kindness” is “chrestotes”. It means “benignity, tender concern, uprightness.” It is kindness of heart and kindness of act. Kindness is the characteristic that led God to provide salvation for us. “But 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” Titus 3:4–5 (NKJV). Kindness is: gentleness, thoughtfulness, compassion, consideration, kindheartedness, benevolence, humanity and sympathy. Jesus demonstrated a pure heart of kindness to the people He came in touch with.

Biblical history shows that God’s mercy and kindness was many times shown through people He inspired. God raised up deliverers and sent prophets who tried to help the people. Throughout the Bible, two other qualities are often associated with kindness: love and mercy. Peter wrote of adding love to “brotherly kindness”. “To godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love” (2 Peter 1:7), while Paul wrote about putting on “tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering.” Joseph is a great example of kindness, goodness, and reconciliation. It was in his power to take revenge on his brothers, but goodness was victorious. Kindness is God’s tender care that makes Him want to gather us under His wings, to protect us and keep us close to Him. 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. And kindness leads the Good Shepherd to rescue us when we stray. “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”Romans 2:4 (NKJV).

“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” Romans 11:22 (NKJV). When we exhibit the kindness of God, we are tender, benevolent, and useful to others. Every action, every word will have the flavor of grace in it. To maintain this attitude toward those we love is hard enough. To express kindness toward those who are against us requires the work of God. “But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love” 2 Corinthians 6:4–6 (NKJV). That is why kindness is a fruit of the Spirit. The Christian faith offers something truly unique, something that makes our kindness evidence of Christ and the Holy Spirit in our lives. That uniqueness also provides deep roots, making it possible for us to show kindness even in life's most difficult situations. Kindness is not a selfish attempt to get something for ourselves. It is a show of mercy and love to other human beings with no thought of reward. May we all develop the same type of love and kindness God has for us. “For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother” Philemon 1:7 (NKJV). The letter to Philemon is an extraordinary letter of kindness and goodness. May God give abundant grace to use the sword of the Spirit and the gentle tongue, in the right spirit and at the right time.

God is constantly kind toward us. He continually stoops down to our level and tries to understand our frailties and shows kindness and mercy to us. Kindness is therefore one of the great traits we must implement in our lives. It is intrinsic to God and Christ’s nature; it was a great trait of the righteous saints of the Old Testament and it was and remains a major requirement for Christians. Kindness is being devoted to one another in brotherly love. Putting others needs above our own needs. This is going the second mile in showing Godly Kindness. Kindness and goodness are joined with patience to teach that a sweet disposition and doing good toward people. Keeping in mind that the fruit of the Spirit is the moral character developed by the power of the Spirit. Kindness is not passive, but active. It manifests itself in positive attitudes and loving acts. The nine–character qualities are a unity, a perfectly formed Christ–like character. Now he describes what they will be like when that formation is complete. These character qualities are not a new list of laws or moral codes that must be kept; they are the result of living and being led by the Spirit. The fruit of kindness and always be alert, ready to grasp the moment when opportunity should present itself. Kindness is one of the Spirit’s noblest fruits. A crushing of everything that is hard in our own life must have occurred if we are to proclaim the glory of kindness. Kindness is firmly united with the wisdom that is from above, which is pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits. “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” James 3:17 (NKJV).