This is all about kindness as the fruit of the Spirit. This is one written about more than some others.

1. THE HOLY SPIRIT FRUIT OF KINDNESS2
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Galatians 5:22 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, forbearance, kindness,goodness, faithfulness,
Question:"The Fruit of the Holy Spirit – What is kindness?"
Answer: Galatians 5:22-23 lists the fruit of the Spirit—the resulting character
of someone who is allowing the Holy Spirit to develop maturity in his or her
life. The fifth characteristic,kindness, is called “gentleness”in the KJV.
The Greek wordfor “kindness” is chrēstotēs.It means “benignity, tender
concern, uprightness.” It is kindness of heart and kindness of act.
Kindness is the characteristic thatled God to provide salvationfor us (Titus
3:4-5; Romans 2:4; 11:22). Kindness leads God to give us greenpastures,
quiet waters, and the restorationof our souls when we're weary(Psalm 23:2-
3). It is God's tender care that makes Him want to gatherus under His wings,
to protect us and keepus close to Him (Psalm17:8; 36:7; 61:4; Matthew
23:37). God expressedkindness when He provided for Elijah and the widow of
Zarephath during a drought—and He showedmore kindness later when He
raisedthe widow's only son from the dead (1 Kings 17:8-24). When Sarah
exiled Hagar and Ishmael, God gave the outcasts kindness in the form of
waterand hope (Genesis 21:9-21). On multiple occasions, kindness induced
Jesus to stop what He was doing and help others in need (Mark 6:34; Mark
7:29; Mark 10:46-52). And kindness leads the Good Shepherd to rescue us

2. when we stray (Luke 15:3-7). In kindness He “gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young”
(Isaiah 40:11).
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 againstus requires the work of God (2
Corinthians 6:4-6). That is why kindness is a fruit of the
Spirit.https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-Holy-Spirit-kindness.html
Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness
by Eddie Foster
Some equate kindness with weakness.Others may think little acts of kindness
are frivolous and unimportant. What is the spiritual fruit of kindness meant
to be?
Our world is full of people who cut in line, insult those around them, don’t
open doors for old ladies and people with groceries,laughat others’
misfortunes and try to show their superiority by dragging others down.
Yet there are also many people who let others go aheadof them in line,
compliment those around them, hurry to open doors for people, sympathize
with others’ misfortune and show their humility and willingness to serve
others.
It’s easyto pick out the people who are showing kindness!

3. Unfortunately, people who base their thinking on a “survival of the fittest”
mentality may not see the rationale for true kindness. People like to receive it,
but often don’t really see the benefit of being kind.
What does God say about kindness?
Kindness is listed as a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22. According to the
Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary, the Greek wordtranslated kindness here
is “the divine kindness out of which God acts towardhumankind. 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 towardothers
as God has behaved toward them.” Basicallyit means “doing thoughtful deeds
to others.”
Proverbs 20:28 describes qualities God wants in a leader: “Mercyand truth
preserve the king, and by lovingkindness he upholds his throne” (emphasis
added throughout).https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/holy-spirit/the-fruit-of-
the-spirit/fruit-of-the-spirit-kindness/
Kindness- Fruit of the Spirit
By: MichaelBradley
Last updated on: November19, 2018
As a result of more people being impatient, having short fuses, and with
everyone always being in a hurry – many people have lostthe ability to treat
others with kindness and respect.
A kind word, a kind actionto another personcan really do wonders for them.
When you really study the life of Jesus in the New Testament, you can really
tell how kind He always was with other people in His dealings with them.

4. Jesus is without question, the ultimate role model for all of us of someone who
was fully walking and operating in all 9 fruits of the Holy Spirit.
The quality of kindness will go hand in hand with the quality of love. Once the
Holy Spirit starts to transmit His love up into you, the quality of kindness will
follow right along with it. It will then become much easierfor you to be able to
be kind to others once the love of God starts to flow more into your
personality.
You cannot help but be more kind to others if God’s love is flowing through
you. This is why the quality of love has to be the main quality that you really
concentrate ongetting more of from the Holy Spirit. Once the love of God
starts to flow and operate through you to touch others, many of the other
fruits of the Holy Spirit will then start to follow right after it in domino
fashion.
Here are some of the different definitions of what real kindness is all about:
Quality or state of being kind
The steadfastlove that maintains relationships through gracious aidin times
of need
Goodness ofheart, serviceable,good, gracious, pleasant
Love for mankind, hospitality, acts of kindness, readiness to help, human
friendship, benevolence, taking thought of others
Goodness in action, sweetness ofdisposition, gentleness in dealing with others,
affability
The ability to actfor the welfare of those taxing your patience
As you can see from some of these different definitions, this is a very beautiful
quality to have transmitted up into your soul and personality by the Holy
Spirit. Not only will you be able to touch others with this godly quality, but
you will also be able to touch yourself – because you will feel so much better

5. about yourself if you can learn how to treat others with much more kindness
and respectin your daily dealings and affairs with them.
Here is a listing of all the 9 fruits of the Holy Spirit and the link to eacharticle
on the particular fruit.https://www.bible-knowledge.com/kindness/
The Fruit of the Spirit:
Kindness
by John W. Ritenbaugh
Forerunner, "Personal," July1998
Topics
Affection
Bitterness
CharacterAssassination
Charity
chesed
chrestotes
Comfort
More...
Related
Kindness
Learning to Love One Another
Sharing Our Lives at the Feast

6. Manifesting Kindness
The Beatitudes, Part5: BlessedAre the Merciful
'If I Have Not Charity'
Hospitality
More...
Series
The Fruit of the Spirit series:
The Fruit of the Spirit
The Fruit of the Spirit: Love
The Fruit of the Spirit: Joy
The Fruit of the Spirit: Peace
The Fruit of the Spirit: Patience
The Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness
The Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness
More...
The secondof the three fruits most directly associatedwith personal, human
relationships is kindness. The translators of the King James Versionrender
this Greek wordas "gentleness."Eventhough gentleness is an aspectofbeing
kind, this choice does not adequately describe the qualities the originalword
implies.
When Paul illustrated how love acts, patience leapedinto his mind first:
"Love suffers long" (I Corinthians 13:4). Immediately following, he writes,
"and is kind," giving the impression that love and kindness belong togetherto
such an extent that we can conclude that without kindness no act is truly done
in love!

7. Patience is love forbearing. Patience suggests self-restraintunder the pressure
of provocation, especiallyundeservedprovocation. Kindness, though, implies
a more active expressionof love toward God and fellow man. Both patience
and kindness are bound in the one quality—love. Those who provoke us may
never notice patient love, but patient love may revealitself in acts of kindness
so that even our provokers are positively impressed. Kindness is such a rare
quality these days that when someone is kind, it has a goodchance of making
the news!
The love Paul expounds in I Corinthians 13 is the love of God, which found its
perfectly balancedexpressionin Jesus Christ. His love was not only
contemplative but also outgoing. BecauseofHis love, He went about doing
acts of kindness, healing and casting out demons (Acts 10:38). The truth He
preachedalso expressedHis love. His love was not merely congeniality; it was
patient, enduring and ethical.
In most cases,kindness is not beyond any of us because it usually costs no
money. It may take the sacrifice oftime and energy. It may require the
discipline to be thoughtful of others' needs and to make the effort to act. How
much is required to cultivate smiling rather than frowning? to pay a visit? to
say a word of encouragementorcomfort? to show friendliness by warmly and
sincerelyshaking hands?
Paul writes in Philippians 1:9-11:
And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge
and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that
you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with
the fruits of righteousness whichare by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise
of God.
The consequences ofkindness are incalculable, for such a spirit can ripple out
to touch the lives of those far removed from the original act. Kindness sows
the seeds that canonly bear goodfruit.
God Is Our Modelof Kindness

8. Jesus vividly illustrates the kindness of God in His instruction in the Sermon
on the Mount.
You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your
enemy." But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do
goodto those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and
persecute you, that you may be sons of your Fatherin heaven; for He makes
His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the
unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not
even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greetyour brethren only, what
do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectorsdo so? Therefore
you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-
48)
The Bible has many statements reminding its students of God's unending and
overflowing kindness to His creation. Jesus says in Matthew 7:11,
If you then, being evil, know how to give goodgifts to your children, how
much more will your Father who is in heaven give goodthings to those who
ask Him!
Paul and Barnabas tell the Lystrans,
[God] in bygone generations allowedall nations to walk in their own ways.
Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good,
gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons,filling our hearts with food and
gladness. (Acts 14:16-17)
God's gracious gifts are just that—gracious. Theyare unearned and
unmerited by us who have willingly sinned againstHim, desecrated His
beautiful creationand either ignored or neglectedHis awesome purpose.
Despite this, His gifts of life are nonetheless unforced, an abundant
manifestation of His kind nature. He does not return evil for evil; He does not
bear grudges, burn with resentment or plot to geteven. Rather, He freely
gives even to evil doers while He patiently works towardthe completion of His
purpose!

9. It has always beenthis way. Despite the Israelites'manifold sins after their
rescue from Egypt, He continued to provide food, water and protection all the
way into the Promised Land. Once in the land, they continued their
provocations for about another sevenhundred years before He finally drove
them into captivity. All the while He provided for them so abundantly that
Israelbecame a very wealthy, albeit ungrateful, nation.
Psalm78:37-39 records this of Israel's relationship with God:
For their heart was not steadfastwith Him, nor were they faithful in His
covenant. But He, being full of compassion, forgave theiriniquity, and did not
destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His angeraway, and did not stir up
all His wrath; for He remembered that they were but flesh, a breath that
passes awayanddoes not come again.
His greatestmanifestationofturning the other cheek—andin supreme
kindness blessing instead—He withheld until He sent His Soninto the world
to be the payment for our sins. As John 3:16-17 states:
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begottenSon, that whoever
believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ForGod did not
send His Soninto the world to condemn the world, but that the world through
Him might be saved.
None of God's beneficence in any way means He approves of the conduct of
sinful men, but rather it is a revelation of His nature that, despite men's
wickedness, He has benevolent feelings towardthem. He earnestly desires
their happiness and is sincerelydevoted to helping them make a successoflife.
The whole world lies in wickedness (IJohn 5:19), and mankind is unable to
extricate itself from it. Part of God's solutionis to give a blessing, a gift, by
which all the sins of humanity can be met and paid. Think of how much good
fruit will be produced because of it! Can any kindness be greaterthan this?
Absolutely not! But it does set a clearstandard and pattern of conduct for us
to exemplify in our lives so we too can be seenas children of God.
Hesedand Chrestotes

10. Chrestotes in Greek and hesedin Hebrew are most frequently translated into
the Englishword "kindness." Chrestotes, according to The Complete Word
Study Dictionary by Spiros Zodhiates, p. 1482, means
benignity, kindness, usefulness. It often occurs with philanthropy;
forbearance, and is the opposite of severityor cutting something short and
quickly. . . . Chrestotes is translated"good," "kindness,""gentleness."It is
the grace whichpervades the whole nature, mellowing all which would be
harsh and austere. . . . The word is descriptive of one's disposition and does
not necessarilyentail acts of goodness.
William Barclay, in The Daily Bible Study Series on Galatians 5:22, p. 51,
adds that the Rheims Version translates chrestotes inII Corinthians 6:6 as
"sweetness";that Christ describes His yoke in Matthew 11:30 as chrestos,
meaning that it does not chafe; and that the Greeks woulddescribe wine as
chrestos, that is, mellow. With these illustrations, it becomes clearthat this
word emphasizes the spirit in which an actis done.
Hesedis more complex, an especiallyrich word that is at times translatedas
"lovingkindness," "mercy," "love," "grace" andeven "loyalty" and
"devotion" in some modern versions. Some modern critics argue that the
word suggests loyalty, something given because ofobligation, because the
writers sometimes use it in a context with a covenantrelationship, such as
God's covenant with Israelor a marriage.
Other scholars review the same material and agree that relationships are
present (love almostnecessitates a subject-objectrelation), but assertthat
hesed(love, mercy, kindness, etc.)is freely given. Freedomof decisionto give
is essential. The help given by the personshowing mercy or kindness is done
freely. This seems to be the correctusage because the other can reduce love,
mercy and kindness to a merely obligatory, mechanical, legalactrather than
an act of free-moral agencyof the heart.
A Pharisee could meet the legaldemands of a covenantobligation, but the
New Covenantrequires a spirit considerablyhigher (Matthew 5:20). The
TheologicalWordbook ofthe Old Testament, vol. 1, p. 306, quotes Hebrew

11. scholarDom Rembert Sorg as writing that hesedis "really the Old Testament
reflex [reflected image, likeness orreproduction] of ‘God is love.'"
God's love is hardly just obligatory, given all the expressions offeeling for
Israeland the church accountedto Him in the Scriptures. Thus these two
words, rich in meaning and usage, clearlyrevealthat kindness is an active
quality God greatlydesires His children to exhibit.
David Shows God's Kindness
Following the death of Saul and his sons in battle, David filled the leadership
vacuum in Israel and Judah by consolidating his kingdom and administering
judgment and justice to the people. During this time, an interesting event
occurred:
Now David said, "Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I
may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?"And there was a servant of the
house of Saul whose name was Ziba. So when they had calledhim to David,
the king saidto him, "Are you Ziba?" And he said, "At your service!" Then
the king said, "Is there not still someone ofthe house of Saul, to whom I may
show the kindness of God?" And Ziba said to the king, "There is still a sonof
Jonathanwho is lame in his feet." So the king said to him, "Where is he?"
And Ziba said to the king, "Indeed he is in the house of Machir the son of
Ammiel, in Lo Debar."
Then king David sentand brought him out of the house of Machir the son of
Ammiel, from Lo Debar. Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the
son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself.
Then David said, "Mephibosheth?" And he answered, "Here is your
servant!" So David said to him, "Do not fear, for I will surely show you
kindness for Jonathanyour father's sake, andwill restore to you all the land
of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually."
Then he bowedhimself, and said, "Whatis your servant, that you should look
upon such a dead dog as I?"
And the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "I have given to
your master's son all that belongedto Saul and to all his house. You therefore,

12. and your sons and your servants, shallwork the land for him, and you shall
bring in the harvest, that your master's son may have food to eat. But
Mephibosheth your master's son shall eatbread at my table always." . . . Then
Ziba said to the king, "According to all that my lord the king has commanded
his servant, so will your servant do." "As for Mephibosheth," saidthe king,
"he shall eatat my table like one of the king's sons." Mephiboshethhad a
young son whose name was Micha. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba
were servants of Mephibosheth. So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, forhe
ate continually at the king's table. And he was lame in both his feet. (II
Samuel 9:1-13)
We might easilypass over this story as being quaint or charming, but it is
much more than that. God intends it as an object lessonto us on our
responsibility to perform acts of kindness. It also teaches us a greatdeal about
David's heart and why he was beloved of God.
Saul and three of his four sons had been killed in battle on Mount Gilboa. A
fourth sonsurvived only to be assassinated, ending an attempt to setup a rival
kingdom. All that remained of the once high and proud house of Saul were
some daughters and some sons by a concubine. Meanwhile, David prospered
as he consolidatedhis kingdom by gaining victories everywhere he went.
Despite David's high stationand prosperity, he did not forgethis and
Jonathan's oath or their love for eachother when David was the lowly
shepherd and Jonathan was heir to the throne. The story gives no indication
that anyone prompted David's inquiry. The request came from his own heart,
motivated by his faithfulness to his friend and his caring nature.
This seems more remarkable when we considerhis undeserved persecutions
at Saul's hand, as the aging king became increasinglycrazedfrom jealousyof
David's popularity. David could easilyhave been bitter from having been
forcedinto living the life of a vagabond, dwelling in caves and existing on the
generosityof others while he was doing goodfor Israel. He could have held a
grudge in order to feel justified in retaliating, or spat curses againstany of
Saul's heirs. Besides, it was the way of Easternkings to kill off any potential
claimants to the throne.

13. Instead, what came welling up in David's heart was a spontaneous and self-
motivated desire to do goodto any who remained of Saul's house. But David's
language as he questioned Ziba goes stilldeeper in unfolding his motives. He
speaks ofshowing the "kindness of God" to Saul's house, elevating his motive
to an even higher plane as a precursorof Jesus'statementin Luke 6:35-36:
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 Highest. For He is kind
to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Fatheralso is
merciful.
David's statementreveals that he was constrainedto use God as the pattern
for what he wanted to do for Saul's house. He recognizedthat he, a sinner like
all of us, had receivedundeserved mercy and kindness from the hand of God.
It is as if God is saying that, before we canpass on His kindness, we must first
recognize that we have receivedit from Him. Jesus follows up His statement
with another that touches on this area:"Therefore I sayto you, her sins,
which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is
forgiven, the same loves little" (Luke 7:47).
David's touching example of kindness reveals that he felt responsible to be
merciful and kind because ourgreat God had been exceedinglymerciful and
kind to him by forgiving much and giving much. He is a worthy example of
one who loved much because he recognizedthat God loved him.
The best basis for kindly service to man is experiencing God's mercy. Indeed,
we can say that long before a person canbe truly merciful, God has been
merciful to him. Religionis not pure and undefiled unless it manifests itself in
this quality of kindly given service (James 1:27). Perhaps from this example,
we can draw the conclusionthat we have not shown our brother all the
kindness we owe him unless we have shown him the "kindness of God."
Kindness and Mercy
Considering the definitions and usage of hesedand chrestotes,we cansee that
mercy and kindness are very similar, with chrestotes especiallyrevealing the
attitude or spirit in which an act of mercy or kindness is done. We know that

14. sometimes doing an act of kindness is difficult in itself, let alone doing it with a
concerned, warm and generous spirit. We must always remember, however,
that our Lord and Savior did it, that our Fatherrequires it of us if we are to
be like Him, and that He has given us His Spirit to enable us to do it. The
choice is ours.
In Galatians 6, Paul has in mind restoring an erring brother to the fellowship
of the body, as well as the peace and unity of the whole. He writes in verses 9-
10:
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due seasonwe shall reap if
we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do goodto all,
especiallyto those who are of the household of faith.
An American cliché runs, "Charity begins at home." Unfortunately, the
fellowship of a localcongregationis frequently the most difficult place to do
goodin the right spirit. This may be partly because of such misguided
expectations that Christians "shouldn't have such problems," "shouldn't be
causing such offenses,"or"should know better than that," or many other
accusationsaboutcharacterand personality flaws that we might make.
We draw back and become wearyfor many reasons thatappear justified:
There is so much opposition to goodplans for doing things. There is so much
to do and, it seems, so few to do it. There are so many calls upon our time in
other legitimate areas. There is all too often so much ingratitude among those
whom we try to help that we become disheartened.
God has calledthe weak of this world, and we have brought our character
weaknessesand odd personality traits with us into the church. We see people
in the church who are so depressedit seems they never have a bright day.
Others have cups overflowing with troubles, and they want to dump on any
willing to listen. The sick, poor, foolish, weak, cynical, stubborn, critical,
cutting, arrogant, aggressive, vain, discouraged, suspicious, pompous,
hypocritical and sarcasticare in every congregation. As the cartooncharacter
Pogo said, "We have met the enemy, and they is us!"

15. But God calls upon all of us to "strengthenthe hands which hang down, and
the feeble knees" (Hebrews 12:12). We are to open our hearts wide in listening
and generouslygive the benefit of knowledge, understanding, comfort,
exhortation, inspiration, hope and encouragementfrom our experiences,
especiallythose in the church. At the proper time, we can give correctionin
meekness,considering our own weaknesses. He commands us to open our
hands wide to the poor, and He says it will be as though we are loaning the
money to Him. We are to "be there" for them, not as a "know-it-all," but as a
"maybe-this-will-help."
Can we not be kinder in our evaluationof another's character? If we hear a
derogatorystory about a brother or sister, should we not ask ourselves, "If
someone heardthis story about me, would I not want him to disbelieve it until
he searchedit out and made quite sure that it was true?" Is there not as much
wickednessin believing a lie as in telling one? If we are always ready to
believe derogatorystories aboutothers, what does that say about our minds?
That is hardly a kind attitude such as chrestotes describes. Willsuch an
attitude produce unity, peace and warm, loving fellowship?
No slanderers would exist among us if no one receivedor believed slander, for
when there is no demand for an article, no one will produce it. If we will not
believe evil reports, the discouragedtalebearerwill leave off his evil trade or
take it elsewhere.
What if we are compelled by the facts to believe the report? A kind person
shows his kindness by not repeating it. He will reasonto himself, "Thoughthis
thing is true, and I am very sorry, why should I spread it to others?" It is the
Christian's responsibility not to expose the brother to further disgrace unless
it be absolutely needful—as sometimes it is—but always to deal with the
brother in the most gentle, kindest manner possible. As the Golden Rule is
commonly recited, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
God's instruction here is that "as we have the opportunity, let us do goodto
all men." Regardlessoftheir station in life, regardless ofwhether they are in
the church, this high requirement stands fast. His only modification is that
our brethren in the church have a higher claim on our resources. Ateaching

16. we can gleanfrom the Parable of the GoodSamaritan is that the Samaritan
did not inquire whether the wounded man was "one of his own." The only
criterion was that he needed an act of kindness performed for him in his
desperatelyweakenedsituation.
Kindness Returned
It is encouraging to note Jesus'ringing promise in Matthew 5:7: "Blessedare
the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." This parallels something David
writes in Psalm41:1-3:
Blessedis he who considers the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of
trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keephim alive, and he will be blessed
on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The Lord will
strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustainhim on his sickbed.
This should not be the major reasonfor being kind. Yet God, who is ever
ready to give and bless, has of His own will inspired these words for our
benefit, so we understand that our efforts in glorifying Him and His way do
not go unnoticed. It is a promise we can claim wheneverwe getinto a bind. He
who enabled us to be kind and generous to others in their need will respond
by providing us a helper in our need. Jesus says in Luke 6:38:
Give, and it will be given to you: goodmeasure, presseddown, shaken
together, and running overwill be put into your bosom. For with the same
measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.
This is very wonderful motivation for those who believe God's Word, but
perhaps there is even greater. Being merciful and kind is evidence that God
has given us His Spirit—that the love of God has been shed abroad in our
hearts and is producing fruit. Forproof of the importance of passing on God's
kindness—expressedin His calling, forgiving, giving us His Spirit and
promising we will receive yet more mercy for being merciful—listen to Jesus'
words in Matthew 25:34-36, 40:
Then the King will sayto those on His right hand, "Come you blessedof My
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the
world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me

17. drink; I was a strangerand you took Me in; I was nakedand you clothed Me;
I was sick and you visited Me;I was in prison and you came to Me." . . . And
the King will answerand say to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as
you did it to one of the leastof these My brethren, you did it to Me."
The Tender Mercies ofGod
Before concluding, we need look into God's kindness as it pertains more
directly to His spiritual purpose. The inspired words of Zacharias following
the loosing of his tongue are rich and profound in meaning for us:
[God sent John] to give knowledge ofsalvation to His people by the remission
of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring
from on high has visited us; to give light to those who sit in darkness and the
shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1:77-79)
No salvation is possible without forgiveness. OurFather cannotforgive our
sins on the grounds of justice, and therefore He does so through His tender
mercy. He has made Himself our God by giving us grace—undeservedfavor.
He passes by the transgressions ofHis people because He delights in mercy.
He is so full of pity that He delays to condemn us in our guilt, but looks with
loving concernupon us to see how He can turn awayHis wrath and restore us
to favor.
Micah7:18 adds, "Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing
over the transgressionofthe remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His
angerforever, because He delights in mercy." God is love, and love is kind,
but perhaps our approach to His forgiveness has beenprosaicallylegal. The
Scriptures revealthat God does kindness with intensity of will and readiness
of mind. He forgives with all His heart because He delights in mercy! He says,
"I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies." God's nature works to give
mercy, not punish; to create beauty, not destroy; to save, not lose.
Can we not see a lessonin this? Are we anywhere near God's image in this?
How many of us, fellowshipping among God's people, are hiding resentment
and bearing the seeds of bitterness againsta brother because ofsome
offense—orcarrying a grudge, or filled with envy, or communicating gossip?

18. Are these things acts of kindness? Does a forgiving spirit that delights in
mercy enter into acts that destroy a brother's reputation and widen existing
divisions?
One other phrase in Luke 1:78 shows the kind and tender nature of our God:
"He visited us." God did not merely pity us from a distance, nor did He allow
His compassionforus to remain as an unresolved, inactive feeling. David
writes in Psalm8:4, "What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of
man that You visit him?" But God did just that!
Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself
likewise sharedin the same, that through death He might destroy him who
had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear
of death were all their lifetime subjectto bondage. Forindeed He does not
give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seedof Abraham. Therefore, in
all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful
and faithful High Priestin things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for
the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He
is able to aid those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:14-18)
God has not merely pitied us from a distance, but He has entered into life, our
life, on our level. The Creatorstoopedfrom His high and pure abode as
glorious God, and veiled His divinity for an abode of animated clay. He
assumedour nature, was tempted in all things like us, took our sicknessesand
bore our infirmities for the express purpose of being a merciful and faithful
High Priest. He did not enter into our world and yet maintain a status
superior to us. He truly walkedin our shoes and still went about doing good.
Christ, Paul adds in Galatians 1:4, "gave Himself for our sins, that He might
deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and
Father." Who knows how many individual acts of kindness—fromthe
conceptionof the plan to its fulfillment—are contained within this simple
statement?
This is the heart of God's nature. He generouslyand mercifully gives that
others might benefit. Now, because ofwhat He did, this nature is growing in
us. By His Spirit He has takenHis abode in us to enable us to work out our

19. salvation, and as we yield, our lives are changing, gradually conforming to His
image. He dwells in us despite all our provocations, stubbornness, neglectand
rebellions. How often we must disappoint Him, and yet as our High Priestand
Intercessor, He stands everready to serve us with yet more kindness.
Paul urges us in Colossians 3:12-13,
Therefore, as the electof God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies,
kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness,longsuffering;bearing with one
another, and forgiving one another, if any one has a complaint against
another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
Put Kindness On
The very factthat he urges us to dress ourselves with these virtues signifies
that none of us has "arrived" spiritually. All of us are flawed, deficient and
weak in some respects. As we yield and develop these virtues, we must be
forbearing and forgiving toward our brothers on the basis of Christ's example
of forbearance and mercy towardus. The enabling power of God's Spirit is
already within us, or this exhortation would be in vain.
It can be done if we will choose to humble ourselves and act when we become
aware of the need of a brother or of the church itself. God calls upon us here
not merely to act but to do it with affection. In all cases, we must let our heart
dictate to our hand, to let our most tender feelings encounter the miseries of
those in distress, just as Christ did in descending to clothe Himself in clay. We
need to let our feelings be at hand and readily touched that we might open our
hands wide in help.
This world has hardened us. We have seenso much arroganceand cruelty
that God warns that at the end people will be "without natural affection" (II
Timothy 3:3, KJV). We are this end-time generation, and we must go a long
way even to start to be like Christ in kindness. But we can do it! Perhaps we
can liken beginning to be like this to learning to swim by just "jumping in."
Kindness is something that we must develop, and we can do it because God
has alreadyenabled us by His Spirit. This fruit is especiallysweettasting and
a major factor in producing unity.

20. Neverforget God's character, His example and this promise He has given to
us in Isaiah54:10:"‘For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed,
but My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenantof peace be
removed,' says the Lord, who has mercy on
you."https://www.cgg.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Library.sr/CT/PERSONAL/k/
259/The-Fruit-of-Spirit-Kindness.htm
https://www.ibelieve.com/faith/kindness-8-ways-to-grow-in-this-fruit-of-the-
spirit.html
Kindness: 8 Ways to Grow in this Fruit of the Spirit
Cleere Cherry and iBelieve Contributors
In Cleere Cherry’s article, “JustBe Kind,” she says this about kindness:
I cannot seemto stop realizing, overand over again, the extreme powerof
kindness – how it changes the giver and the receiver’s day. It reminds me of
the goodin people and the fact that we really are all in this together.
But even though we have opportunities every day to share kindness, we so
often choose to look the other way, don’t we?
We all will have seasons in our lives when we desperatelyrely on the kindness
of Jesus and those He has placedin our lives to lift our burdens. It doesn’t
take a lot of extra energyto sayhello, cook someonedinner, take out your
grandmother’s trash, spend time listening to a friend, or just be there for
someone. And be kind.
You already know this. Our modern Westernculture grasps the value of this
fruit of the Spirit, but why? Why is it so important to show kindness? Here
are eight thoughts on why Christians need to show others kindness:

21. 1. Biblical kindness is different than worldly niceness
In PastorStephen Witmer’s DesiringGod.org article, “Kindness Changes
Everything,” he gives this definition of biblical kindness:“True kindness is
Spirit-produced. It’s a supernaturally generous orientationof our hearts
toward other people, even when they don’t deserve it and don’t love us in
return.”
In his article on Crosswalk.com, Dr. Barry Corey says this of kindness:“It’s
the natural outcome of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives. We exhale
kindness after we inhale what’s been breathed into us by the Spirit.”
Worldly niceness oftenglossesoversin, but God’s kindness “leads us to
repentance,” as we know from Romans 2:4.
2. Everyone needs kindness
Cherry goes onto write in her article: Those around us will have seasonsin
their lives when they need us to be there and they need us to be kind and
gentle with how we treat them.
The truth is, you rarely know all the battles that those around you are facing
right now. But the demands of this life are tough, and schedules are jam-
packed. And even when others need your kindness, they may be too busy or
fearful to share their story with you, or they may just be too prideful to be
real about what’s going on. This is why it is crucial to be kind, always.
3. God’s blessings are meant for the whole world
One of the earliestrecordedbiblical blessings is when God blessedAbram in
Genesis 12:2. Then he spreads that blessing throughout the world in Genesis
12:3, saying, “and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” God’s
heart is for his people, and God’s heart is for the world.

22. Why wouldn’t you be kind?
• Because youwere wronged?
• Because youare in a bad mood?
• Because youare also struggling?
• Because youjust don’t FEELlike it?
• Because thatother person doesn’t deserve it?
You are here and alive because the greatestactofkindness that was ever
performed was done for you - so that you may share. So that you can give
kindness to every hand you embrace, every face you pass, and every personin
your life, regardless ofwhether you feelthey deserve it. Whether they deserve
it or not isn’t your decisionto make anyway.
4. Showing kindness is a way we can show Christ
I know this all sounds redundant and elementary, but I find it deeply
necessarythat we are aware of the power that we hold every single day: the
powerto be kind to everyone, especiallythose who are offering nothing in
return.
When you do, I would bet that when you make an intentional effort to be kind
to those around you, you are a more joyful person because ofit. You open
your heart, and your heart grows. You become more aware ofthe people
around you, and you grow in understanding and compassionforthem. In this
way, you become more like Christ, as he noticedthe crowds and felt
compassionfor them in Matthew 9:35-38. So it doesn’t matter how people

23. respond or whether they reciprocate the kindness, it was never about what
you were “getting back” in this equation anyway.
The more fruit the Spirit bears in us, the more we become like Christ.
5. Kindness is powerful and contagious
Dr. David B. Hawkins share his thoughts on kindness in his Crosswalk.com
article, “Try a Little Kindness…In Your Marriage.” Here are three thoughts
about the powerof kindness:
We must take responsibility for our attitude. While we may feelvictimized,
and may in fact have been victimized, we are responsible for our attitude. We
can let external factors dictate our attitude, or we can choose to have a healing
attitude.
Emotions are contagious. We canbe angry, hurtful and bitter; and this will
likely elicit anger, hurtfulness and bitterness from our mate. It makes no
difference if you have “the right” to be hurtful. If you chooseto be hurtful,
hurtfulness will likely come back to you.
Kindness changes us. It is not hard to understand why Scripture implores us
to be merciful and kind to others. Just as bitterness changes us for the worse,
kindness changes us for the better. There is a spiritual principle at play: as we
do to others, so it will be done to us. Plant seeds ofkindness and you will reap
a spiritual harvest of blessings.
6. Kindness is simple
Kindness is one of those ingredients with the accompanying instructions, “a
little goes a long way,” written on the bottle. It doesn’t take much.

24. Sometimes kindness is simply smiling, saying “Hello” and sticking around to
hear the realanswerto the “How are you?” part.
Sometimes kindness is talking to that person that struggles with friendships
and deciding to invest in them first.
Sometimes kindness is cooking dinner for a family because youknow the
parents are struggling and they are too prideful to ask for help.
Sometimes kindness is stopping to talk to a homeless personand making sure
they know that they are valued and that their story is not over.
Sometimes kindness is a big task. Other times, it is so small and feels
miniscule.
7. Kindness is a tidal wave.
But, you must know, that no matter how small or big the actof kindness may
be, it makes a HUGE difference.
• In you.
• In the person or people who receivedyour act of kindness.
• In the environment you live, work in, and every place you are involved.
More powerful than you could have prepared yourself for, and it seeps into
everything and everyone it touches.

25. 8. Kindness is also easyto miss.
I often find myself thinking about small kindnesses in gratitude to God: the
kindness of a sunny day, or the smile of a stranger, or waking up next to my
husband. God’s kindness is so prevalent that we often miss it if we’re not
paying close attention.
Many miss the kindness of God when he sent his son as a delicate, fragile
baby. We neglectthe kindness of God when he chose to have his sonborn in a
manager, showing us that our humble backgrounds and our status should not
keepus from knowing him.
It is the kindness of God that so greatly touches lives. Yet we often take that
kindness for granted, and we don’t see it as a big thing – we don’t see God’s
kindness as what it is: a gift.
Cleere Cherry was born and raisedin North Carolina, graduatedfrom UNC-
Chapel Hill and moved to Shreveport, Louisiana. She is a writer who believes
that with God's help, anything is possible. She hopes her writing will remind
you of who you are in Jesus-dearly loved and highly favored. To read more
from Cleere, check outher articles on iBelieve.com.
To learn about another fruit of the Spirit, read, “Patience is a Virtue: 6 Ways
to Grow in this Fruit of the Spirit” on iBelieve.com.
This article was adapted from Cherry's article, “Just, Be Kind,” originally
published on iBelieve.com.
How the Fruit of the Spirit Works:Kindness and Goodness

26. June 6, 2014 by Jeffrey Kranz Leave a Comment
This guestpost is by JeffreyKranz, who writes more Bible-study material at
OverviewBible.com.
We’re going through the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22–23), a list of qualities the
Holy Spirit produces in our lives. You can find plenty of books on the fruit of
the Spirit, but in these posts I’m focusing on two things:
What eachfruit of the Spirit quality means
A Bible characterthat sets a goodexample of that quality
We’ve already lookedat love, joy, peace, and patience. Now let’s look at
kindness and goodness.
Fruit of the Spirit: kindness
I think we all know what kindness is. It’s that quality of doing right by one
another—that warm-heartedness softness we show to those we care about.
I love Dr. Zodhiates’ description of kindness:“It is the grace which pervades
the whole nature, mellowing all which would be been harsh and austere.”1
Fun fact: the Greek for “kindness” in Galatians 5:22 is related to the Greek
word for choice agedwine. As a goodwine gets sweeterwith time, so the Holy
Spirit makes us softer, warmer, and kinder.
Example of kindness: Boaz
We alreadymet Ruth (she’s my example of love). Boazis the man she ends up
marrying.
Boazis a rich man who is impressed by Ruth’s character. He is abundantly
kind to Ruth, and goes to greatends to make sure she gets all the food she
needs:

27. He has his employees harvestgrain for her.
He invites her to eatwith his workers (insteadof finding lunch for herself).
He provides her with water.
He protects her from those who would mistreat her (since she’s from another
country).
And just so you know, Boazisn’t just laying on the charm for the lady. He’s
kind to his employees, too. The first words we hear from Boazare a blessing
to his employees:“Maythe Lord be with you” (Ru 2:4).
Boazis generous and kind: a great example to us.
Fruit of the Spirit: goodness
Goodness is righteousness inaction. Goodnessboldly does what’s right, and
encouragesothers to do goodas well.
Example of goodness:Hezekiah
The king Hezekiahis an example of goodness.Whenhe takes the throne in
Judah, the temple of Godis in disrepair, and idols are set up across the land.
So Hezekiah makes things right:
He reinstates the priests of God (2 Ch 29:5).
He brings people from all Israelto celebrate Passover(2 Ch 30:5).
He removes the idols (2Ch 31:1).
The Bible says that Hezekiah“did what was good, right and true before the
LORD his God,” and everything he did, “he did with all his heart and
prospered” (2 Ch 31:20–21).
This is goodness:understanding what is right and making it happen.
A few thoughts on kindness and goodness
Looking at these biblical heroes challenges me:

28. Am I becoming softer, warmer, and kinder? I really should be.
When I know what is right, do I follow through and do it? It’s one thing to
know what’s goodand talk about what’s good, but it’s another to put it into
effect.
Who are your examples?
Which Bible character(or Christian figure, for that matter) comes to mind
for you when you think of goodnessorkindness? I’d love to hear about it.
The next post finishes off the series with faithfulness, gentleness, andself-
control.
1 Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament
(Chattanooga, TN:AMG Publishers, 2000).
The Fruit of the Spirit Is… Kindness
by Travis | Bible Study, DiscipleshipAnd Spiritual Growth, The Fruit Of The
Spirit | 0 comments
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness,self-control;againstsuch things there is no law.” –
Galatians 5:22–23
The Fruit of the Spirit Is… Kindness
“When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people; as I grow older, I
admire kind people.” – Abraham Joshua Heschel
I think most of us tend to take this route in life.
It’s easywhen we’re younger to be mesmerized by the charismatic, the smart,
the gifted, those with status, etc.

29. But, as we get older, and we begin seeing the fleeting reality of all I listed
above, our values and role models begin to shift.
And the more we value simple, godly characteristicssuchas kindness.
The Embodiment of Kindness
It can sound strange that kindness is listed as one of the fruits of the Holy
Spirit.
It sounds so lowly and insignificant.
But check out the definition:
“The quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.”
That sounds a lot like Jesus, doesn’tit?
Jesus was friendly and approachable evenby children
Jesus was generous withHis words, possessionsand actions
And Jesus was considerateand allowedthe needs of others to be put above
His own.
This really is the trifecta that embodies kindness.
Missing just one of these characteristicsleads to a stoolwith less than its
indented 3 legs to stand on.
Seeking Kindness In Everyday Life
“Cleanliness is close to godliness.”
Not really, but what we’ve seenis that being kind is close to godliness.
To grow in friendliness
To be more generous
And to be more considerate andthink of others as more important than
ourselves.

30. This is close to godliness.
This is the life and fruit that God desires us to have.
So, take the extra time to show some unexpected kindness.
Considerwhere you can be more generous in your money, talents and time.
And seek to put other’s before yourself.
And do so by His grace and strength.
As we’re reminded in Philippians 2:1–11:
Jesus lived kindness.
He lived love.
He lived perfection.
And now, He has paid the price for our sin,
And gives us the power, by His Spirit,
To have Him transform us to be more like Him.
And one day, we will be with Him forever.
So as we look forward to heaven,
Let’s ask Jesus to instill His kindness into our hearts,
And let us be kind to others the way Jesus is.
“Put on then, as God’s chosenones, holy and beloved, compassionatehearts,
kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,” – Colossians 3:12
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in
Christ forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32
“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender
heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling,

31. but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a
blessing.” – 1 Peter3:8–9
“A gracious womangets honor, and violent men getriches. A man who is kind
benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.” – Proverbs 11:16–17
“Whoeverpursues righteousnessand kindness will find life, righteousness,
and honor.” – Proverbs 21:21
““Thus says the Lord of hosts, Rendertrue judgments, show kindness and
mercy to one another.” – Zechariah 7:9https://travissinks.com/the-fruit-of-
the-spirit-is-kindness/
Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness,
goodness,faithfulness, 23 gentleness andself-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)
I am going to start a series on my blog on the Fruit of the Spirit. I am going to
take one per entry. This entry is on Kindness. According to
BibleGateway.comthe word is used 56 times in the NIV and 43 times in the
KJV. I also decidedto check the Amplified Bible and it shows the word 238
times in the Bible.
Synonyms
According to Dictionary.com
benignity
benevolence
humanity
generosity
charity

32. sympathy
compassion
tenderness
goodturn
One of the definitions shows a friendly feeling.
A Point in the ScoutLaw
Clip art from ChristArt.com
Did you know one of the Points of the Boy Scout Law is A Scoutis Friendly
and another point of the ScoutLaw is A Scoutis Kind. I pointed this one out
in my blog on The ScoutLaw – A Christian Point of View. I just wantedto
point that out as well. The Bible many times show we are to show kindness, a
lot of these are servants to their masters and masters to their servants. You
will also see prayers where prayers go I have shown you kindness, so please
also show me kindness. If we show eachother kindness, we are also showing
love. A Christian love toward them. If we withhold kindness, we don’t fear the
Lord.
Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakesthe fearof the
Almighty. (Job 6:14) “but let the one who boasts boastabout this: that they
have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises
kindness, justice and righteousness onearth, for in these I delight,” declares
the LORD. (Jeremiah9:24) in order that in the coming ages he might show
the incomparable riches of his grace, expressedin his kindness to us in Christ
Jesus. (Ephesians 2:7)
Jesus was Kind
Even the Lord, Jesus Christshowedhow kind He is. We as Christians are to
strive to be more Christ-like. It doesn’tmatter who you are, what the
conditions are like, we must be kind to everyone!The below verse shows an
example of that.

33. The islanders showedus unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomedus
all because it was raining and cold. (Acts 28:2)
ClearWarning
We do have a clearwarning about if we don’t follow kindness. The below
verse shows us this:
Considertherefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who
fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness.
Otherwise, you also will be cut off. (Romans 11:22)
Sincere love comes within the Holy Spirit by purity, understanding, patience
and kindness according to 2 Corinthians 6:6. We are told to show kindness, so
show everyone kindness, saved or unsaved.
Therefore, as God’s chosenpeople, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves
with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians
3:12)
Set an Example
If we don’t setan example of kindness to everyone, how will anyone truly
know we are saved and following a Christ-like life. Notto mention, if we are
trying to geta lost personsaved, and we don’t show kindness, how will they
believe us when we sayChrist was kind, Christ was so kind and loved us so
much he died for our sins. Plus, if we don’t show kindness to one another and
say we are of Christ, how believing is that?
Yes we all do sin, but as Christians we should try to sin less, since we are not
sinless. Only Jesus Christ was sinless. Repentof your sins and turn away from
them. Be kind to one another. Remember random acts of kindness goes away.
Do a Payit Forward. Even the Boy ScoutSlogan“Do A GoodTurn Daily” we
as Christians should do more than just “a” goodturn daily, we should do
severalgoodturns daily. Keep showing a Christ like attitude. I also like the
clipart I found from Clip art from ChristArt and the caption on the cartoon.
It reads “God made all people, so be kind to

34. everyone”https://www.courageouschristianfather.com/fruit-of-the-spirit-
kindness/
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,goodness,
faithfulness, 23 gentleness, andself-control. There is no law againstthings like
this.
ReflectionQuestions
Mr. Tushman, the wise schoolprincipal in the film Wonder, urged staff and
students to be “Kinder than is necessary. Becauseit’s not enough to be kind.
One should be kinder than needed.” When the apostle Paul listed some of the
key qualities God offers to grow in us, he put kindness squarely at the center
of the list. Paul believed that all Christ-followers, not just the naturally kind
ones, could receive the fruit of kindness when the Holy Spirit infuses and
directs all parts of our life.
As God’s people, we know we need to depend on the Holy Spirit’s guidance to
grow in kindness and other goodqualities. Yet the Spirit seldom confronts us
with flashing billboards. His guidance usually reaches us in quiet, subtle ways.
What steps can you take to keepyour spiritual “ears” opento the Spirit’s
direction? (For a readable list of helpful spiritual practices, click here.)
Thoughtfully reflecton the qualities Paul called“the fruit of the Spirit.”
Which of them do you most appreciate when others exercise them toward
you? Which of them seemto come most naturally to you? Which of them do
you struggle with the most? How do you believe growing in the qualities with
which you struggle would deepenand enrich your relationships?
Prayer

35. Come, Holy Spirit! Bearyour fruit in my life, transforming me daily from the
inside out. Unite me in kindness and love with all my brothers and sisters in
the human family. Amen.
https://cor.org/leawood/gps-guide/kindness-a-fruit-of-the-spirit
The Holy Spirit’s Gift – To Bearthe Fruit of Kindness
Why is the fruit of kindness more than just kind words? What are some ways
in which the Lord has shown his kindness to us? How does His Kindness to us
help us to become more kind? How do we allow the Holy Spirit to put to death
our flesh so that we can clothe ourselves with kindness? What are three
qualities of Kindness? What are three actions of kindness?
The Fruit of the Spirit Is Kindness
Kindness is the disposition we should have toward others. It is more than a
feeling: it is a quality that causesus to “act” towardothers in a kindly
manner. Kindness and goodness are similar in nature, yet not identical.
Goodness also involves a disposition of kindness towardothers, but it includes
an additional aspectof honesty or firmness in our relating with others that is
meant to lead that person towards reform or change.
The Greek TranslationKindness and goodness are closelyconnectedwords.
For kindness the word is chrestotes. It, too, is commonly translated
goodness…. The whole idea of the word is a goodness whichis kind. The
word Paul uses for goodness(agathosune)is a peculiarly Bible word and does

36. not occurin secularGreek… It is the widest word for goodness;it is defined
as “virtue equipped at every point” What is the difference? Agathosune
might, and could rebuke and discipline; chrestotes canonly help…. The
Christian needs that goodnesswhichat one and the same time canbe kind
and strong.
—William Barclay- The Daily Bible Study Series
Kindness. . . More than Words Kindness is more than kind words—it flows to
others through our actions. The Letter of James raises this question: "If a
brother or sisteris naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them,
'Go in peace, keepwarmand eat your fill,' and yet you do not supply their
bodily needs, what is the goodof that?" (2:1516). Hearing someone express
pity toward anotherperson who is in desperate straits, we might mistakenly
conclude that he or she is being kind. But spiritual kindness must also compel
us to act!Kindness, as a fruit of the Holy Spirit, should stimulate us to loving
actiontoward others. A kind person recognizes that someone—aneighbor,
friend, family member, or perhaps even a stranger—has a physical, mental,
social, orspiritual need, and then helps to meet that need in some way.
1. (a) Kindness that results in action is describedby Jesus in his parable of the
GoodSamaritan (Luke 10:30-37). What is the primary difference betweenthe
Samaritan and the others who saw the injured man?

37. (b) What do you think causes seeminglygoodpeople not to actout of
kindness?
Reflecting on God's Kindness towardUs 2. (a) We canperhaps best
understand kindness by looking at the source of all aspects ofgodliness, the
Lord himself. In Romans 2:1-5, why is judgment contrastedwith kindness,
and how does it help to define what kindness is?
(b) What is God's kindness meant to achieve, according to St. Paul?
(c) When you show kindness toward another, perhaps even someone who
normally would warrant judgment, what effectcan you expectyour act of
kindness to have?

38. "Putting on" the Clothing of Kindness
3. (a) ReadColossians3:1-12. Whatdo you think St. Paul meant when he
urged the members of the early church to "strip off the old self with its
practices" (verse 9)? Share some practicalways of doing this.
(b) What do you think would happen if you simply tried putting on the clothes
of kindness while the old selfremained alive?
Luke 10: 30-37 The Parable of the Good Samaritan.

39. 29 But because he wished to justify himself, he saidto Jesus, “And who is my
neighbor?”
30 Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from
Jerusalemto Jericho. Theystripped and beat him and went off leaving him
half-dead.
31 A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he
passedby on the opposite side.
32 Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passedby on
the opposite side. 33 But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved
with compassionatthe sight.
34 He approachedthe victim, poured oil and wine overhis wounds and
bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn
and caredfor him.
35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper
with the instruction, ‘Take care ofhim. If you spend more than what I have
given you, I shall repay you on my wayback.’36Which of these three, in your
opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”
37 He answered, “The one who treatedhim with mercy.” Jesus said to him,
“Go and do likewise.”
Romans 2:1-5 God’s JustJudgment 1 Therefore, you are without excuse,
every one of you who passes judgment.* Forby the standard by which you
judge another you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same
things. 2 We know that the judgment of God on those who do such things is
true. 3 Do you suppose, then, you who judge those who engage in such things
and yet do them yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do
you hold his priceless kindness, forbearance,and patience in low esteem,
unaware that the kindness of God would lead you to repentance? 5 By your

40. stubbornness and impenitent heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself for
the day of wrath and revelationof the just judgment of God
Colossians 3:1-12
MysticalDeath and Resurrection
1 If then you were raisedwith Christ, seek whatis above, where Christ is
seatedat the right hand of God.
2 Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.
3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.
Renunciation of Vice.

41. 5 Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity,
passion, evil desire, and the greedthat is idolatry.
6 Becauseofthese the wrath of God* is coming [upon the disobedient].
7 By these you too once conductedyourselves, when you lived in that way.
8 But now you must put them all away:anger, fury, malice, slander, and
obscene language outof your mouths.
9 Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its
practices
10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed, for knowledge, in the
image of its creator.
11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcisionand uncircumcision,
barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all and in all.
12 Put on then, as God’s chosenones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness,and patience.
KINDNESS - FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
Latin translation is BENIGNITAS. Greek translationis CHRESTOTES
(khray-stot-ace), whichmeant to show kindness or to be friendly to others and
often depicted rulers, governors, or people who were kind, mild, and
benevolent to their subjects. Anyone who demonstrated this quality of
chrestotes was consideredto be compassionate, considerate, sympathetic,
humane, kind, or gentle.
When our free will allows, the Holy Spirit removes abrasive qualities from the
characterof one under His control.

42. Kindness is doing something and not expecting anything in return- no
conditions. Kindness is respectand helping others without waiting for
someone to help one back. It implies kindness no matter what- whether we are
being loved on or being persecuted.
NEW AMERICAN BIBLE REFERENCES
The apostle Pauluses Romans 11:22 to depict God's incomprehensible
kindness for people who are unsaved: "Now if their transgressionis
enrichment for the world, and if their diminished number is enrichment for
the Gentiles, how much more their full number."
Titus 3:1-7- 1 2 "Remind them to be under the control of magistrates and
authorities, to be obedient, to be open to every goodenterprise. They are to
slander no one, to be peaceable, considerate,exercising allgraciousness
toward everyone. Forwe ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, deluded,
slaves to various desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful
ourselves and hating one another. But when the kindness and generous love of
God our saviorappeared, not because ofany righteous deeds we had done but
because ofhis mercy, he savedus through the bath of rebirth and renewalby
the holy Spirit, whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christour
savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of
eternal life."
2 Corinthians 6:6-7 suggeststhat we should live "by purity, knowledge,
patience, kindness, in a holy spirit, in unfeigned love, in truthful speech, in the
powerof God; with weapons ofrighteousness atthe right and at the left."
KINDNESS
The quality of understanding sympathy and concernfor those in trouble or
need. It is shown in affability of speech, generosityofconduct, and forgiveness
of injuries sustained.
"Let a goodman strike or rebuke me in kindness,..." (Psalm141:5)

43. It would appear that the Scripture passage above wouldseemrather
harsh! But it's not; it could save your life! Allow me to explain.
It seems as if all of the Fruits of the Spirit have simple meanings that pretty
much anyone with any common sense wouldknow. Perhaps that's the
problem. EachFruit goes further and digs deep into the human condition.
And rightfully so, for God establishedeachFruit Himself in order for us to
recognize our own evil actions and to understand what we are really capable
of. They are the manifestation of God working within us.
So what is kindness besides the simple definition of being nice to someone?
("Nice" by the way, is not so "nice" after all! It has it's root in a Middle
English word meaning foolish or stupid. This, takenfrom the Latin nescius,
meaning ignorant or incapable. Therefore, think twice before referring to
someone as being nice!) Kindness has its root in humility. One can only
behave in a sincere kind manner only once they are disposedof themselves.
But what is actualkindness, then?
Kindness seeksafterthat which is best for the end in which it's aimed.
HUH? Godalways has our best interests in mind. His main concernfor all of
us is to see to it that we spend eternity with Him in heaven. Salvationis on the
forefront of His activity because we weren'tmade for this world. We are
simply sojourners in this world. With this in mind the greatestthing we can
do for our fellow man is to lead them to salvation in Jesus Christ as well. How
do we do this? We do this by the example of the lives we lead. Kindness, of
which, needs to be at the forefront.
5

44. Take into considerationthe Corporaland Spiritual Woks of Mercy. These, if
preformed with the correctmotive and intention, which is sincere love for
God, will manifest our kindness. It was Jesus himself who gave us these works
in order that we might embrace them and lead others unto Him and to
salvation. So what are these works of mercy?
The Corporal("Corporal" meaning things we do physically) Works of Mercy
are.. 1) Feedthe hungry;. 2) To give drink to the thirsty;. 3) To clothe the
naked;. 4) To harbour he harbourless; 5) To visit the sick;6) To ransomthe
captive; 7) To bury the dead.
The Spiritual ("Spiritual" meaning things we do by ways other then the
physical) Works of Mercy are... 1)To instruct the ignorant; 2) To Counselhe
doubtful; 3) To admonish sinners; 4) To bear wrongs patiently; 5) To forgive
offenses willingly; 6) To comfort the afflicted; 7) To pray for the living and the
dead.
These works ofmercy clearlyshow us the path of kindness. They lead us to
the greatestgoodwe can do for anyone. It leads to freedom. God showedus
His kindness by Christ's example in humility. The saints all throughout the
ages also give us amazing examples of true kindness. I personally enjoy the
examples the saints have left us because they were ordinary people like the
rest of us. Yet they were able to do extraordinary things through they're
kindness and love for God.
IN THE END
Kindness extends to many levels. Never under estimate the powerof
kindness and your own ability, strengthened by grace, to lead others to a life
of lasting happiness. Another awesome aspectofkindness is that it's
contagious!We truly do receive when giving! We are createdthat way!
Happiness is found in humility and cannot be underestimated! Remember,

45. then, these works ofmercy and that it was our Lord who ordained them. Pray
about them and seek Him to grant you the want, the desire and the ability to
carry them out!
Catholic Dogma says "Godis absolute benignity." Does that mean he's
inactive - like the Watchmaker?
I got an interesting question from a young Evangelicalabout Catholic Dogma.
He asked:
Catholic Dogma says "Godis absolute benignity." That worries me. Does it
mean the Catholic Church is saying God is not active in the Creationof the
universe or in or personallives?
When we in modern societyhear the word benign we think inactivity, of a
tumor that does nothing. It is not harmful but neither is it helpful. It will not
grow and devour the person as an active cancerbut it is not a positive thing.
They usually have to remove it with surgery, so it's still pretty bad, even
though it's not malignant. So I could see why someone reading Catholic
Dogma, would think the Catholic Church was teaching the "Watchmaker"
theory of creation, which says God winded up the universe like a clock, and
then walkedawayand let it develop and exist on it's own. Actually, it would
be a heresy to teachthe Watchmakertheory in the Catholic Church.

46. Before going into the history of the word benignity, it would be useful to look
at the other dogmas regarding the characterof God. We canlearn what
benignity is not simply by looking at what God is, as listed elsewhere.
Catholic Dogma is completely contrary the "Watchmaker" theory. Here’s
what Dogma says about “Godthe Creator.”
God keeps all createdthings in existence.
The words “Godkeeps” is a present tense verb which shows that he is active
in creation, he didn’t walk away. There are hundreds of other clear
statements by the Church that demonstrate we do not teachanything like the
"Watchmaker" theory. Simply reading about Jesus’active salvationof man
in Dogma demonstrates that God loves his people and is active in their lives,
and is active in the world. So benignity is referring to something else.
PrincetonUniversity dictionary shows us that our conceptof a benign tumor
is false. Benignity is the "quality or condition of being kind and gentle," or it
is "a kindly or gracious act"1. Itis the opposite of malignity, not the neutral of
it. Malignity means “disposedto evil or intense ill will.” The opposite of that
is “disposedto good, intense goodwill.” Benignity comes from the Bible.
BENIGNITY-One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, identified by St. Paul. It
corresponds to kindness. (Etym. Latin bene, well + gigni, to be born:
benignitas, kindness.)
benignity [bin-nig-nit-tee] Noun pl -ties kindliness Synonyms RelatedWords
Antonyms
Noun 1. benignity - the quality of being kind and gentle benignancy,
graciousness good, goodness -moral excellenceoradmirableness;"there is
much goodto be found in people" malignance, malignancy, malignity - quality
of being disposed to evil; intense ill will 2. benignity - a kind act kindness
action- something done (usually as opposedto something said); "there were
stories of murders and other unnatural actions" benefaction, benevolence -an
act intending or showing kindness and goodwill cupboard love - a show of

47. affectionmotivated by selfishness favor, favour - an act of gracious kindness
pardon, forgiveness - the actof excusing a mistake or offense endearment - the
act of showing affectionthoughtfulness, consideration - a considerate and
thoughtful act
KINDNESS
In his letter to the Romans, Saint Paul addressesmany different issues, one of
which is the basic human tendency to be judgmental—that is, to want the
satisfactionofseeing others condemned for their sins. Paul reminds the
Christians in Rome that, because everyone will be judged by God, we all
should be grateful for the opportunity to repent our sins before it is too late.
Thus he says, “Ordo you hold His priceless kindness, forbearance, and
patience in low esteem, unaware that the kindness of God would lead you to
repentance?” (Romans 2:4).
Now, condemnationfor the unrepentant will come, but it will come from God
alone. Still, God looks on us with kindness—thatis, with tender-hearted
concernfor us—according to the possibility that every soul canbe saved;
therefore, we, too, should treat others with kindness, not condemnation. “See,
then, the kindness and severity of God: severity toward those who fell, but
God’s kindness to you, provided you remain in His kindness;otherwise, you,
too, will be cut off” (Romans 11:22).
IF YOUR PRAYER is truly effective, then, it should be leading you to
repentance for your sins and to a tender-hearted concernfor others, that they
might be led to their ownrepentance.
PersonalMeditation:How often do you deny the reality of sin by falling into
the mistakenbelief that kindness means unconditional acceptanceof
anything?
On Kindness

48. St. Paul says that if someone lives the Christian life rightly with the help of the
Holy Spirit, he will gain the “fruit of the spirit.” This fruit includes lots of
desirable things: love, peace, patience, joy, gentleness, etc.
One of the most important in this day and age is the fruit of kindness.
Kindness flows so naturally from humility and love. When I really do care
about someone and I don’t see them as a threat (which is what pride sees in
everyone), then I’m really interested in what someone else has to sayand in
treating them with respect.
Winston Churchill famously said that “the greatestthreat to national security
is immorality.” He said this because whenpeople are virtuous, they are brave,
loyal, supportive and willing to sacrifice for the goodof others… If your
nation (or your community) is full of “goodpeople,” you will have a strong
and resilient culture. But, if your nation is full of lazy, self-involved, pompous
snobs, it will collapse in on itself!
As our nation and our communities become less kind and less virtuous, we
have two greatopportunities. First, we can head our fall off by recovering and
reclaiming natural and supernatural virtue in ourselves and in our children.
Second, because these virtues have become more rare, they shine out all the
more brightly as something which a non-Christian or a lazy Christian may
desire and which may lead them back to Christ.
Either way, we have a natural duty to kindness and to the other virtues that
all may see our good works and give glory to God!
Kindness By Dorothea J. Lotter
The native clutched his dying son and ran through the hot dust for 2 miles
until he reachedAfrica’s BaragwanethHospital. Instinctively he knew it was
too late. He sadly turned homeward with the baby cold in his arms. The child
had died of gastric enteritis.

49. Vusamazulu Mutwa tearfully built a crude coffin and prepared his tiny son’s
body for burial. To a Bantu native, proper burial is vital. To be buried in an
unknown grave would be the deepestdisgrace that could befall him. But a
Bantu has no accessto any cemeteryunless he belongs to a recognizedchurch
and the funeral is conducted by a minister. A well-knownauthority has said,
“Determinationto have a proper burial is a strong reasonwhy natives turn to
Christianity.”
The grief-strickenparents went to their Christian pastor, whose church the
wife had attended for many years;the father had never acceptedthe faith.
When they askedfor a funeral, the pastor refusedwithout explanation.
Later Mutwa acidly wrote, “Strangely, the priest knew exactly what he was
doing to me when he refusedto bury my son. Forover the years, I had
explained to him all the laws and customs of the Bantu. He refusedsimply
because I was not, with the rest of my family, a member of his church.”
Vusamazulu Mutwa later wrote a scorching essayon“Why Christianity Has
Failedin Africa.” It is part of his bitter book, Africa Is My Witness, which
charges, “The culprits are those petty dictators and sadists who weartheir
white collars the wrong way round.”
This abridged story from Charles Hembree’s book, Fruits of the Spirit,
vividly illustrates the cruelty Christians, often unintentionally, inflict on
others.
By contrast, the Bible emphasizes kindness. It is to be a major Christian
virtue, so important that Paul calls it a fruit of the Spirit.
The Greek term for kindness (chrestotes)appears 10 times in the New
Testament. The King James Version translates it in Galatians as “gentleness,”
but as “kindness” onfour other occasions. The New International Version
translates the word as “kindness” in 9 of 10 occurrences.
Like the word love (agape), kindness (chrestotes)is closelyrelated to hesedin
the Old Testament, which stands for God’s covenantlove. Commenting on
hesed, the TheologicalWordbook ofthe Old Testamentsays, “loving-kindness
— is not far from the fullness of the meaning of the word.”

50. The lessonofour text is that the Holy Spirit enables us to show kindness in all
our relationships as we sincerelyseek His assistance.
Kindness begins in the heart
Helen Brenneman writes: “There was a man who had a heart transplant. But
the operationwas a total failure. For the man was a mean man and the heart
was a kind heart. His body simply rejectedit.”
The Bible, however, tells us about a successfulheart transplant: “I will give
you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your
heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will
put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to
keepmy laws” (Ezekiel36:26).
Like the mean man, we fallen human beings have a predisposition to be
unkind! Unfortunately, even our salvationexperience does not remove us
from that temptation. Christians can be very cruel, like the priest in his
response to the Bantu. And probably, without intending to be, all of us are
cruel at times. The Word of God teaches us, however, that to please Godwe
must cultivate the virtue of kindness.
Ephesians 4:31-32 says to “getrid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling
and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to
one another, forgiving eachother, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
In Colossians3:12-13, Pauladmonishes us, “Clothe yourselves with
compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bearwith eachother
and forgive whatever grievances youmay have againstone another. Forgive
as the Lord forgave you.” A kind disposition is possible preciselybecause the
Holy Spirit has given us a new heart as describedby Ezekiel. This
transformation process ofthe Spirit is emphasized in Titus 3:5: “He savedus
through the washing of rebirth and renewalby the Holy Spirit whom he
poured out on us generouslythrough Jesus Christ our Savior.“
Moses tried to do ministry prematurely and in his own strength. He became
enragedand killed an Egyptian. Only after long years as a shepherd, followed

51. by a life-changing encounterwith the living Yahweh at the burning bush, did
Moses become the meekestofmen and a powerful leaderof the people of God.
We, too, canbecome fundamentally different people when we receive a change
of heart which enables us to be kind to others.
Kindness is a growthprocess.
You just don’t getup in the morning and say, “Beginning today, I’m going to
be kind.” Even the best intentions fail if we rely on our own strength. Paul
calledkindness a fruit of the Spirit because it cannotbe growneffectively
without the Spirit’s continuing work in our lives.
Ephesians 5:18 admonishes us to “be filled with the Spirit.” The wider context
shows that spiritual fullness results in changedbehavior. “Submit to one
another” (5:21); “Husbands, love your wives” (5:25); “Children, obey your
parents” (6:l); “Fathers, do not exasperate your children” (6:4); “Slaves,obey
your earthly masters” (6:5). Kindness is one of the products of the Spirit at
work in our relationships.
Jesus was reallystating much the same thing in John 15:5: “I am the vine; you
are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much
fruit; apart from me you cando nothing.”
The Holy Spirit according to Paul is the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9). So to
abide in Christ is to live in the Spirit. They are one and the same. Abiding in
Christ through the Spirit empowers us to live in obedience to all His
commandments.
As we live in Spirit-filled obedience, these scriptural commands will continue
to echo and re-echo throughout our lives: “Getrid of all bitterness, rage …
anger, brawling … slander… malice. Be kind … compassionate … forgiving”
(Ephesians 4:31-32). “Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness … patience … Bearwith eachother … forgive as the Lord forgave
you” (Colossians3:12-13).

52. In Scripture, you notice how John tried to position himself for powerand
prestige during Jesus’ministry. He and his brother askedJesus, “Letone of
us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory” (Mark 10:37).
That selfish requestcame during the childhood stage of John’s spiritual
development. But he grew in spirit so that by the end of his life he was the
epitome of kindness. John, one of the Sons of Thunder, became the Apostle of
Love as reported overand over in 1 John. By the power of the Spirit, he had
learned the lessonof kindness.
Kindness produces results
The Bible shows that kindness, admittedly costlyto us, produces positive
results: “A kind man benefits himself” (Proverbs 11:17). This verse brings to
mind people like Mark Buntain and Billy Graham. Mark Buntain was loved
and honored in life. In death, thousands of people stoodfor hours in the hot
Indian sun to honor him. He poured out his life to minister to the spiritual and
physical needs of Calcutta.
Dr. Graham’s presence is requestedby kings and leaders throughout the
world. PresidentBush was quick to call him to the White House the night the
United States wentto war with Iraq. A humble, beloved man who manifests
kindness, Dr. Graham has earnedthe respectof the secularand Christian
communities.
Kindness opens doors for service. Barnabas,Sonof Encouragement, solda
field and gave the money for relief of the saints (Acts 4:37). He was sensitive to
hurting people in need of assistance.The Spirit later marked him out as the
first missionary companion of the apostle Paul.
Undoubtedly, this actof kindness in support of the poor was an important
part of Barnabas’s growthin service!It testified to the Christian community
of his fitness.
Kindness also softens the hard and angry hearts of men. “A gentle answer
turns awaywrath” (Proverbs 15:l).
Some years ago, while I was working with a student withdrawing from
seminary, it became apparent that he was on the verge of an emotional

53. collapse. He was hostile, and somewhatincoherent. It would not have taken
much to provoke him. Seeking the Lord for wisdom as we talked, I sensed
Him beautifully guiding, enabling me to respond gently and work through his
concerns. He left relaxed; satisfiedhe had securedwhat he needed.
Our example will also leadothers to be kind. PeterAinslie, in his book,
Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit, says, “No influence is so powerful in human
societyas practicing kindness,” and illustrates with the following story:
A rail fence betweentwo Virginia farms had settledand needed repair. The
cattle from one farm wandered into the cornfield of the other, doing
considerable damage. The farmer who suffered the loss wrote a severe
threatening letter to his neighbor who owned the cattle. The neighbor
responded by letter, expressing deep regrets, offering to pay the damages and
reminding the farmer that through the years his cattle, too, had made like
depredations on him. He had never notified him, however, but had simply
repaired the fence, knowing that those situations sometimes occurdespite
precautions. The next morning, the offended farmer beggedhis neighbor’s
forgiveness, andfrom that time on they were the best of friends.5
Kindness demonstrates Christ to the world.
“The greatestthing a man can do for a Heavenly Father,” said Henry
Drummond, “is to be kind to some of His other children.” And Frederick
William Fabercommented, “Kindness has converted more sinners than zeal,
eloquence, orlearning.” Prayerfor the salvation of others must be coupled
with Spirit-empowered kindness if we are to be effective in winning them to
the Lord.
Conclusion
Our emphasis on kindness may sound goodin theory, but does it really
happen in practice? Does the Holy Spirit actually help us to develop kindness?
Are not some people just “naturally” kind?
It is impossible to produce genuine Christ like kindness as describedin
Galatians 5:22 by ourselves. A new heart is required. Then a growth process
follows which can only take place as we submit to and obey the Holy Spirit.

54. He nurtures those positive characterchangesthat are reflectedin our
relationships.
Kindness, or the lack of it, makes a difference in our lives. As a child, I knew
very well what it meant to be subjectedto the blighting cruelty of a father who
punished capriciously, his reasoning unclear.
But then I met the Heavenly Father, who generouslypoured out His love on
me. In kindness, He nurtured me. He was understanding, gentle, and
approachable. He gave hope when I had none. He guided, opened doors,
encouraged, andlistened to my concerns.
Through Him I found the sustaining powerof the Holy Spirit, who helped me
turn that cruelty into kindness.
We, like the Bantu father who was denied a Christian funeral for his son, may
also experience cruelty in the church.
When that happens, we need the powerful ministry of the Holy Spirit to walk
through those hurts without bitterness.
If we are willing, He enables us to respond in love and kindness. He gives the
strength to forgive, and heals painful memories.
We must purpose in our hearts not to be part of the cruelty in our church and
world. Rather, we must be sensitive to the needs of people, showing kindness
to those we serve — to friends and enemies alike.
May we resolve, in our cultivation of the fruit of kindness, to seek the
inexhaustible resourcesofthe gentle, yet dynamic Holy Spirit whom God has
so graciouslypoured out on us to manifest kindness. For it is “not by might,
nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6).
http://www.sjohio.org/assets/templates/mycustom/ethereal/files/lesson/holyspi
rit/lesson16a.pdf

55. Devotional:‘The Fruit of the Spirit is Kindness’
Postedon January 19, 2018 by PastorTerry
Standard
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: … kindness…
(Galatians 5:22)
If you would do a survey out on the streetand ask the average personto
describe how they think a Christian should act, I am sure that much of what
you would hear could be summarized with word ‘kindness.’Though we rarely
ever hear a messageonkindness, it is perhaps the one characteristic thatbest
symbolizes what it means to be a followerof Jesus Christ. To claim to be a
Christian, yet fail to be kind, almost seems contradictory.
There are two ways a Christian may bear the Spirit’s fruit of kindness:
First of all, by their disposition. To bear the Spirit’s fruit of kindness means to
be someone who is mild and gentle. Speaking of Himself, Jesus said, “Come to
me, all of you who are wearyand carry heavy burdens, and I will give you
rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teachyou, because I am humble and
gentle at heart, and you will find restfor your souls. Formy yoke is easy
(kind) to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
The word kindness has also another side to it. It canalso mean to ‘furnish
what is needed’ or to ‘be benevolent.’ One of the bestillustrations of such
kindness can be seenin the life of David. In
2 Samuel 9:3 David asks, “Is anyone still alive from Saul’s family? If so, I
want to show God’s kindness to them.” Even though Saul had mistreated
David, David still wanted to show him and his family the kindness of God.
When the Spirit bears the fruit of kindness in a believer’s life, He causes them
to not only be pleasantin their disposition, but also caring in their actions
towards others.

56. As I have studied these various characteristicsofthe Spirit’s fruit, I am
reminded of how much I need to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. I
desire to experience and to exhibit more love, joy, peace, patience and
kindness. That will only be possible if I am under His controland not the
control of my
emotions.https://pastorterryblog.wordpress.com/2018/01/19/devotional-the-
fruit-of-the-spirit-is-kindness-2/
View all Sermons
The Fruit Of The Spirit- Kindness Series
Contributed by JefferyAnselmi on Mar 24, 2006
based on 32 ratings
(rate this sermon)
| 38,584 views
Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23
Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ
Summary: Kindness is a nondescript fruit that is very important for our
growth in Christ.
1 2 3 4

57. Next
INTRODUCTION
SLIDE #1
• Today as we carry on with out look at the fruit of the spirit, we are going to
take some time to examine a fruit that seems to be pretty nondescript on the
surface.
• Kindness seems like something that is pretty ordinary, but when you start to
really think about it, kindness is remarkable and inspiring.
• The exhibition of the fruit of kindness canliterally change the lives of those
around us.
• When you think of kindness, chances are that one of the first names that
comes to mind is MisterRogers. A year or two before Fred Roger’s death
someone in Philadelphia where he lived stole his car. The news media gota
hold of the story and before long all the localTV stations were broadcasting
the story. Thousands of Philadelphia citizens saw the story, including the thief
who stole the car. This criminal had dealt with his own share of difficult times,
but he knew that when he was small Fred Rogers had been a positive
influence on him.
• Within 48 hours the car was back in the spot where he left it, along with a
note saying "If we’d known it was yours, we never would have takenit!"
(www.sermoncentral.com)
• Kindness may be one of the most underrated fruits on the fruit stand.
• TheologianWilliam Barclayonce said, “More people have been brought into
the church by the kindness of realChristian love than by all the theological
arguments in the world”
• How many times in your life have you felt discouragedorfelt like everything
was againstyou only to be met by someone who was willing to show kindness
to you.

58. • I wonder how many lives have been changedby someone showing the fruit of
kindness.
• Today we are going to look at this nondescript fruit; we will look at what it is
and why it canbe so powerful and life changing.
SLIDE #2
SERMON
I. DEFINING KINDNESS.
• When you think of the word kindness, what comes to mind, do you think of
the nice grandmother figure that is waiting there with a bunch of cookiesfor
you?
• Is kindness emotionalfeeling?
• SLIDE #3
• The Encarta dictionary defines kindness as:the practice of being or the
capability to be sympathetic and compassionate
Sermon Collectionof the Week
Full access to weeklycuratedlists with sermons, illustrations, and new media.
Free With PRO →
• The English word does not fully capture the meaning of the original word.
Kindness is more than being capable of being sympathetic and compassionate.
• SLIDE #4
• The word derives from a verb meaning “to take into use” and has the basic
sense of“excellent,” “serviceable,”or“useful.” It refers to something that is
well suited for its purpose, such as a “worker” bee, an“orderly” house, or
“healthy and tasty” food. When the word was applied to people it meant they
were “worthy,” “decent,” “honest.”Whena person is all that he is supposed
to be—when a human is humane—he is decent, reliable, gentle, and kind. All
of this is included in what our Bible calls “kindness.” It is not just a sweet

59. disposition: it is a serving, productive trait as well. College Press
Commentary.
• It relates to tender concernfor others. It has nothing to do with weaknessor
lack of conviction but is the genuine desire of a believer to treat others gently,
just as the Lord treats him.
• Kindness is more than compassion. The very of nature of exhibiting kindness
to another person makes that person have a sense ofworth and usefulness. By
exhibiting kindness to another person we are affirming their worth as a
person, we are telling them that they are important enough for us to be
inconvenienced, by them or that we would give them specialattention. It is
closelyrelatedto being gentle.
• Jesus’kindness is the believer’s example. When “some children were
brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the
disciples rebuked them, … Jesus said, ‘Let the children alone, and do not
hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as
these’” (Matt. 19:13-14).
• On another occasionHe said, “Come to Me, all who are wearyand heavy-
laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me,
for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls”
(Matt. 11:28-29).
• Jesus by allowing the children to come to Him, showedthem their worth to
Him. The children were important to Him. His display of kindness to them let
them know that.
• When Jesus calls those who are weary and heavy-laden to come to Him for
rest, His kindness toward them shows us how important we are to Him
• It has beensaidthat "Kindness is a language the dumb canspeak andthe
deafcanhear and understand." — ChristianNestellBovee; InstantQuotation
Dictionary
• Now letus look atkindness playedout.
• SLIDE #5

60. II. JESUS HAS EXHIBITED KINDNESS TO US.
• WE have spokenofa couple ofinstances where Jesusdisplayedkindness
towardus, letus look atsome specific ways inwhichHe exhibited kindness
towardus. In looking atthese areas, we canlearnsome things we needto know
about kindness.
• SLIDE #6
1. Jesus understands myweakness. (Hebrews4:15-16)
• Jesus understands ourweakness, He knows whywe have weaknesses. Jesus
has compassionforus. IfJesus did not understand our weakness, thenHe
would not be able to be kind to us whenwe struggle.
• I used to getupset when Rachelwouldthrow wild pitches when she first
startedpitching, and as a result of that, I was nottoo kind to her when it
happened. ThatchangedwhenI realized why she was struggling.
• SLIDE #7
• Hebrews 4:15 - 16(GWT) 15Wehave a chiefpriestwho is able to sympathize
with our weaknesses. He was temptedin every waythat we are, but he didn’t
sin. 16So we cango confidentlyto the throne of God’s kindness to receive
mercy and find kindness, whichwillhelp us at the right time.
• Jesus walkedinour shoes so He canrelate to us. Jesus willbe gentle and kind
to you because He knows whyyouare struggling. Youcancome to Him when
you struggle!
• When we understand other people and canwalk in their shoes, wewilltreat
them with kindness also, we willmake themfeelworthy.
• SLIDE #8
2. Jesus tells me the truth. (John8:32)
Pastor, have youclaimedyour 14 day PRO trial?

61. Enter your church name and email addess to begin, plus getupdates & offers
from SermonCentral.com. PrivacyPolicy.
• Telling the truth in love is part of being kind. Jesus couldhave come to live as
a man and He couldhave just spentHis time excusing oursin by telling us
things that were nottrue.
• It is so sadto see so many people who are living a life ofsin have people
excuse theirsin by telling them they are born that way.
• I saw a man on televisionThursday evening tell anotherpersonthat God
createdhim to be a homosexual so therefore Goddid not look downon that sin.
• Somewhere along the line, someone, probablyunder the umbrella of kindness
or compassion, toldthis man his sin was nothis fault so therefore he couldnot
overcome itor should he eventry to overcome it.
• SLIDE #9
• John 8:32 (GWT) 32Youwillknow the truth, and the truth will setyou free.”
• Jesus has setus free from the bondage ofsin by being truthful to us. If we are
going to be kind, we must share the truth in love with otherpeople. We cannot
pervert the truth because we do notwantto hurt someone’s feelingsorthatwe
are afraid to challenge them.
• SLIDE #10
3. Jesus forgivesmysins (Romans 3:23-24)
• It is hard to be kind to those with whom you do not forgive. Jesus has forgiven
our sins.
• SLIDE #11
• Romans 3:23- 24 (GWT) 23Becauseallpeople have sinned, theyhave fallen
short ofGod’s glory. 24TheyreceiveGod’s approval freelyby an actofhis
kindness£ throughthe price Christ Jesus paidto setus free fromsin.

62. • Jesusfoundusworthsaving, so Hesavedusfromour sins. Allthetimeswe
havesinnedagainstHimareforgivenwhen weacceptHimisour Lordand
Savior.
• If wecannotforgivesomeone, do youthinkwearegoingto treatthem with
kindness?
• SLIDE #12
4. Jesusaffirmsmy worth.(Psalm 139:15-17)
• By dyingon thecross, by thatvery actof kindness, myworthisaffirmed. It
doesnotmatter what therestof theworldthinksaboutme, JesussaysI havea
highself-worth.
• SLIDE #13
• Psalms139:15- 17 (GWT) 15Myboneswerenothiddenfromyouwhen I was
beingmadein secret,whenI wasbeingskillfullywovenin an underground
workshop. 16Your eyessawmewhenI wasonlya fetus. Everyday ofmy
lifewasrecordedin your book beforeoneof them hadtakenplace. 17How
preciousareyour thoughtsconcerningme, O God!Howvastin numberthey
are!
• Peopleneed to knowtheyarevaluableto God, peopleneedto know theyhave
enoughvalueto usthatwewouldextendkindnessto them.
• SLIDE #14
III. WAYSTOFOSTERAN ATTITUDE OFKINDNESS.
• In thelast sectionof themessageI hopethatwegained someinsightinto
kindnessby seeing whatJesushasdoneforus.Herearea few practicalideasto
help usto havean attitudeof kindness.
• Thesefour thingscanhelpusnotonly to feeltheemotionof kindness, butalso
help usto putactionbehindtheemotion.
SermonCollectionof theWeek

63. Fullaccessto weekly curatedlistswithsermons, illustrations,andnewmedia.
FreeWithPRO→
• SLIDE #15
1. Beawareof what kindnesscando for others(PayIt ForwardMovieClip)
• Exhibitingkindnessto otherscanhavedramaticeffectson thelivesof others.
• In themovie, “PayItForward, Trevor(playedby HaleyJoelOsment), a
seventh-grader, respondsto thecallof hisSocialStudiesteacherto comeup
with a planto changetheworldandacton it. Heturns"Pay Back" on itsheadto
"Pay itForward"- a planto helpthreepeoplewho must eachhelpthreepeople
and so on untileveryoneisdoingsomethingforsomeone.
• SHOW MOVIECLIP FROMDVDNOW.
• Sometimeswewantto do thingsfor peoplewho canrepayusin kind:Benice
to thebossto geta promotion; buya candy barfromtheneighbor kid, so they
willbuy popcornfrom youduringsoccerseason; babysitfora friendso they
willbabysitfor you. ButGodsaysto giveto thosewhocan’tgiveback, “andyou
willbeblessed, sincethey do nothavethemeansto repay you; foryou willbe
repaidattheresurrectionof therighteous"(Luke14:14). Soundslikea pretty
good paydayto me!(MovieMinistry.com)
• SLIDE #16
2. Bewillingto beinconvenienced. (GoodSamaritan Luke10:30-37)
• So many timeswedo notshowkindnessbecausewearenotwillingto go to
the trouble.
• In thestoryof theGoodSamaritanin Luke10:30-37weseea manwhowasin
sometrouble.
• Let usreadthispassagetogether.
• SLIDE #17-19