KINDNESS
14th Dec 2022
There is a great translation of Proverbs 11:17 from The Living Bible, “Your soul is nourished when you are kind, it is destroyed when you are cruel.” This time of the year is often described a “The season of goodwill.”
This set me thinking about how kindness is a fruit of the Spirit, and how we should be looking out for ways to demonstrate kindness practically this festive season. It seems to me that these acts of kindness are often something we do to bless folk who are outside our normal sphere of friends.
I love the story in 2 Samuel 9:3-13 when David asks the question, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness?” He then discovers Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, who is in great need as he is lame in both feet. David invites him to feed at his table every day. His response is, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”
The scripture above declares that our act of kindness will nourish our soul. Let us search out ways to show kindness to those who are lonely and needy at this time of the year. It can be something very simple like a phone call, letter or email, or perhaps a lift in your car as the strikes disrupt travel. It will bless them greatly, but at the same time you will be blessed.
Next Sunday a church in Pakistan will be feeding and sharing the Christmas message with 250 folk from surrounding villages. This church has suffered greatly in the recent floods, and yet out of their extreme need they want to be kind to others.
Paul commended the church in Macedonia who, “In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.” (2 Corinthians 8:2) We in the UK are facing inflation and rising costs on every front. This in not a time to retreat into self protection, but to reach out with kindness and generosity.
I love the verse in Ephesians 4:32 which has been made into a song. Joyce and I have been singing it around the house recently as we have been thinking about kindness.
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you, as God in Christ forgave you.”
by Charles Sibthorpe
