But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, KINDNESS, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22 & 23
This is the fifth of a nine part series I call "Spiritual Fruit of the Month Club". Have you ever seen or received a gift where you are entered into a club and once a month you are sent a box of fruit - a different kind of fruit each month? Well, that is what we will be doing here - on the first Sunday of each month for nine months I will be sending you a digital box of Spiritual Fruit. We will study and try to use that fruit in our daily lives for that month.
Kindness is so similar to a few of the other Spiritual Fruits, that I needed to look "Kindness" up in the Thesaurus: compassion, sympathy, thoughtfulness, consideration, helpfulness and charity.
"He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has done." Proverbs 19:17
"A kindhearted woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth. A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings himself harm." Proverbs 11: 16 & 17
How interesting that being kind to someone else actually benefits us personally. Have you ever volunteered for anything? - maybe at a homeless shelter or at the YMCA? I have and it really did feel like I had received a healthy, "down-to-the-bone" blessing - it was a soothing feeling that I had received (an outpouring of the Holy Spirit). Isn't there a saying something like: help yourself by helping others.
"An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up." Proverbs 12:25
This verse is so relevant today - with so many people dealing with anxiety and panic disorders. Just think about words - positive & negative; both having such an extreme effect on the intended. There have been many times in my life when my heart has been weighed down with life's struggles and hardships. Just one encouraging word from a friend can lift me up out of the darkness and get me back on track to thinking of others instead of myself.
"But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Luke 6:35
"Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else." 1 Thessalonians 5:15
There are 2 important points here:
1. When we are kindhearted we can't expect anything in return - kindness is selfless. Our motives have to be correct otherwise our so-called "acts of kindness" will come across as very fake. Kindness has to be sincere.
2. Enemies - be kind to each other & EVERYONE ELSE. God is kind to everyone, including the "ungrateful and wicked" - our enemies. There is no getting even here - revenge only hurts both parties involved. So, we must be kind to both the nice and nasty alike.
"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Colossians 3:12
"And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:6 & 7
Jesus is the ultimate example of kindness.
This is the fifth of a nine part series I call "Spiritual Fruit of the Month Club". Have you ever seen or received a gift where you are entered into a club and once a month you are sent a box of fruit - a different kind of fruit each month? Well, that is what we will be doing here - on the first Sunday of each month for nine months I will be sending you a digital box of Spiritual Fruit. We will study and try to use that fruit in our daily lives for that month.
Kindness is so similar to a few of the other Spiritual Fruits, that I needed to look "Kindness" up in the Thesaurus: compassion, sympathy, thoughtfulness, consideration, helpfulness and charity.
"He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has done." Proverbs 19:17
"A kindhearted woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth. A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings himself harm." Proverbs 11: 16 & 17
How interesting that being kind to someone else actually benefits us personally. Have you ever volunteered for anything? - maybe at a homeless shelter or at the YMCA? I have and it really did feel like I had received a healthy, "down-to-the-bone" blessing - it was a soothing feeling that I had received (an outpouring of the Holy Spirit). Isn't there a saying something like: help yourself by helping others.
"An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up." Proverbs 12:25
This verse is so relevant today - with so many people dealing with anxiety and panic disorders. Just think about words - positive & negative; both having such an extreme effect on the intended. There have been many times in my life when my heart has been weighed down with life's struggles and hardships. Just one encouraging word from a friend can lift me up out of the darkness and get me back on track to thinking of others instead of myself.
"But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Luke 6:35
"Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else." 1 Thessalonians 5:15
There are 2 important points here:
1. When we are kindhearted we can't expect anything in return - kindness is selfless. Our motives have to be correct otherwise our so-called "acts of kindness" will come across as very fake. Kindness has to be sincere.
2. Enemies - be kind to each other & EVERYONE ELSE. God is kind to everyone, including the "ungrateful and wicked" - our enemies. There is no getting even here - revenge only hurts both parties involved. So, we must be kind to both the nice and nasty alike.
"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Colossians 3:12
"And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:6 & 7
Jesus is the ultimate example of kindness.
What will you do with your quarts of Kindness this month?
"....help yourself by helping others...." I'll try to notice opportunities to replace annoyance with patience, which will help me to be more kind. Thank you Angie for the lesson.
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