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The Fruit of the Spirit - Kindness

The Fruit of the Spirit - Kindness

Mike Willis

 

The Greek word chrēstotēs is translated “kindness” in most English translations. It is defined as “the quality of being helpful or beneficial, goodness, kindness, generosity” (BDAG, 1090). It is from the same root as chrēstos which Jesus used when He described His yoke as “easy” (Matt. 11:30), in contrast to those yokes that were galling, rubbing against the skin and creating blisters and callouses. In another passage, Jesus described old wine as “good” because it had mellowed with age (Luke 5:39). New wine may be bitter or have an astringent taste; it is sometimes described as bold. (Just in case you might be wondering “how does he know that?” I am depending upon sources that I have read to describe the difference in old wine and new wine. I have never tasted any wine.)

 

Let me illustrate both kindness and sharp rebuke from Jesus’s teaching methods. He was not always kind when He taught. Sometimes He was cutting and sharp edged, perhaps even insulting. When the sinful woman approached Jesus at the house of Simon, she washed his feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and kissed them. When Jesus rebuked Simon, Jesus said, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little” (Luke 7:44-47). He then pronounced her sins forgiven. Jesus’s kindness is shown in His speech toward both the sinful woman and Simon.

 

When Jesus spoke to the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23, He was telling them what they needed to hear, but His words cannot be described and kind and gentle. Contrast the following words with those in the preceding paragraph:

 

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

 

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.

 

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!

 

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean” (Matt. 23:13-26).

 

Now think about how you and I come across in our daily speech toward each other? Do we come across as caustic, making barbed comments, using biting words and cutting remarks? Are we sarcastic, sharp-tongued, and vitriolic?

 

We can learn to use gentle words, and affectionate language. Our words can be complimentary, soothing, and supportive. One should  be considerate of the feelings of those to whom he is speaking, especially when correcting someone.

 

Sometimes a person may justify his harsh language by saying, “I told him the truth!” But telling the truth does not excuse bombastic speech. It may be the truth, but how do you think it will be received by the person to whom you said that? Just because something is true does not give you the right to say it!

 

Kindness seeks ways to act and speak toward others that creates warm relationships. Some families are better at doing that than others, including my own. My family tended to use sarcasm as humor and it was not unusual for feelings to be hurt. There are some things you do not joke about! In my years of preaching, I have witnessed other families that speak more kindly to each other than mine did and I see the emotional ties between the members of those families being warmer than my own. We could have done better if we had known better.

 

I like these proverbs about kindness:

 

“Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love” (Lao Tzu).

 

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted” (Aesop).

 

“A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees” (Amelia Earhart).

 

“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness” (Seneca).

 

Jesus taught His disciples to be kind one to another.