Kindness
The Fruit of The Spirit - Kindness
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustworthiness, gentleness, self-control.
What is Kindness?
Vine’s Dictionary informs us that the Greek word for kindness is ‘Chrestotes’ and that it means: “goodness of heart, kindness,”. “Patience is love forbearing. Patience suggests self-restraint under the pressure of provocation, especially undeserved provocation. Kindness, though, implies a more active expression of love toward YHWH 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 reveal itself in acts of kindness so that even our provokers are positively impressed.
Thus kindness is not passive, but active. It manifests itself in positive attitudes and loving acts. It especially manifests itself in kind acts toward the undeserving.
The Interlinear Bible says in Psalms 145:17 – YHWH is righteous in all His ways and Kind in all His works.
Some translations use ‘Lovingly-committed’ in place of the word Kind. This committed love in the Apostolic Writings (New Testament) is described when Yeshua tells His disciples, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). In this, our Love for Yeshua and His commandments is a committed life of obedience to Him and service to others. How much greater YHWH’s loving commitment in all His works.
And tear your heart and not your garments, and turn back to יהוה your Elohim, for He shows favor and is compassionate, patient, and of great loving-commitment (Kindness), and He shall relent concerning the evil.
YHWH is compassionate, patient, and kind. Hallelujah! It’s interesting that the prophet Joel advises us to “tear your hearts and not your garments.” There will always be outward expressions of love and repentance, but YHWH is more concerned with the condition of our hearts, for it is within the heart that true love and repentance flow. Isaiah also spoke about the significance of the heart.
And YHWH says, “Because this people has drawn near with its mouth, and with its lips they have esteemed Me, and it has kept its heart far from Me, and their fear of Me has become a command of men that is taught!
We still struggle with this today. The condition of our hearts has prevented us from experiencing true communion with the Father. Instead, we rely on others to help us understand that we should be keeping the commandments. We claim to know the truth, believing that the truth will set us free. However, we often fail to recognize that true submission to our Creator requires genuine fear and respect, as we tend to draw near to Him only with our words. YHWH longs to cleanse us and all humanity.
Kindness is eager NOT to punish. Kindness is eager not to get even. It does not wish the worst on one’s enemies. YHWH does not long to punish but to forgive, through Yeshua our Messiah.
so that as sin did reign in death, even so favor might reign through righteousness to everlasting life through Yeshua Messiah our King.
Kindness is not only about having kind feelings; it is primarily demonstrated through acts of kindness.
For you know the favor of our Master Yeshua Messiah, that being rich, He became poor for your sake, so that you might become rich through His poverty.
Yeshua “stooped down” and served the lesser ones with kindness. YHWH wants us to be the same toward one another.
Thus said YHWH of hosts, ‘Execute true right-ruling, show loving-commitment (Kindness) and compassion everyone to his brother.'
This is a command. YHWH expects that we show kindness toward others.
Our Mission
Therefore, as chosen ones of Elohim, set-apart and beloved, put on compassion, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, patience,
Kindness should be an integral part of who we are; we must actively embrace it. Just as we would never leave the house without our clothes, we must not forget to embody kindness and the fruits of the Spirit. As a community set apart, we are called to demonstrate that we are different and to serve a purpose according to His will.
Let not kindness and truth forsake you – Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,
Rather, we commend ourselves as servants of Elohim in every way: in much endurance, in pressures, in hardships, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in disturbances, in toils, in watching's, in fasting's, in cleanness, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Set-apart Spirit
Kindness is one of the evidences that Paul offers to prove that he was an apostle of Yeshua Messiah
Two Types
Kindness #1 – The kindness we show those people who are deserving, or that we like (Friends, relatives, etc.). This is the common kind of kindness we see around us. Humans tend to be naturally kind toward friends and relatives. Humans tend to be naturally kind to others who are kind to them. This is human kindness.
Kindness #2 The kindness we show to those that are not deserving, or that we don’t like. This is the kind of kindness you will not see easily exhibited in human relationships. Humans tend to be unkind to the undeserving. Humans tend to reward unkindness with unkindness. The world tends to see being kind to the unkind as foolishness. YHWH is our great example in the area of showing kindness to the undeserving.
They became aware of it and fled to Lustra and Derbe, cities of Lukaonia, and the country round about. And they were bringing the Good News there. And in Lustra there was sitting a certain man, disabled in his feet, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. This one heard Sha’ul speaking, who, looking intently at him and seeing that he had belief to be healed, said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet!” And he sprang up and began to walk. And when the crowds saw what Sha’ul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lukaonian, “The mighty ones have become like men and come down to us!” And they called Barnaḇa Zeus, and Sha’ul Hermes, since he was the chief speaker. And the priest of Zeus, being in front of their city, brought oxen and wreaths to the gates, and wished to offer with the crowds. And when the emissaries Barnaḇa and Sha’ul heard this, they tore their garments and ran in among the crowd, crying out and saying, “Men, why are you doing this? We also are men with the same nature as you, bringing to you the Good News: to turn from these worthless matters to the living Elohim, who made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all that is in them, who in past generations allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways, though, indeed, He did not leave Himself without witness, doing good – giving us rain from heaven and fruit-bearing seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.”
Humanity is unworthy of kindness, yet YHWH shows kindness to humans daily by providing them with the basics and much more. We can never go to YHWH and say, “You have saved us because we are good people; because we deserve to be saved. No one is! Every one of us is saved only by YHWH’s kindness. We deserve far worse — every one of us — yet YHWH provides us with the possibility of the kingdom. YHWH who has all power to remove us forever shows, instead, His kindness to the undeserving.
KINDNESS HAS A REFRESHING, RESTORING, RECHARGING EFFECT ON THOSE WHO EXPERIENCE IT.
This world is full of harshness. This world is full of unkindness. When people experience a kind gesture, they are refreshed by it, and they are recharged by it.
Philemon 1:7 I myself have gained much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because your kindness has so often refreshed the hearts of God's people.
Philemon showered the brethren with kindness and, by so doing, he had a refreshing and a restoring and energizing effect.
Kindness is put on display through-out the scriptures
In the Book of Ruth – Boaz says in Ruth 2:11 “Yes, I know,” “But I also know about the love and kindness you have shown your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers.
Following Saul’s death, David had the opportunity to eradicate all of Saul’s descendants, yet he made a different choice. What decision did he ultimately arrive at?
And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”
We discover YHWH’s response to David’s heart toward Saul’s descendants later on through his son Solomon.
Solomon replied, (Talking with YHWH) "You were wonderfully kind to my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued this great kindness to him today by giving him a son to succeed him.
Unkindness Brings Unkindness
Because of this the reign of the heavens is like a certain man, a sovereign who wished to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents, but as he was unable to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. Then the servant fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I shall pay you all. And the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. And that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. And he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe! Then his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I shall pay you all. But he would not, and went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. And when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were deeply grieved, and came and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master called him and said to him, ‘Wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt seeing you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, as I also had compassion on you?’ And his master was wroth, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. So also My heavenly Father shall do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.
YHWH is constantly kind toward us. He continually stoops down to our level and tries to understand our frailties and shows kindness and mercy to us. What does he want in return? That we do the same with one another. Be kind to one another, as he is kind.
Kindness is therefore one of the great traits we must implement in our lives. It is essential to YHWH and Yeshua’s nature; it was a fruit of the spirit of the righteous saints in the Tanakh (Old Testament) and it was and remains a major requirement for believers today. However, we must not seek only lower levels of kindness but higher level kindness, the kindness that stoops down to feed not only the deserving but the undeserving. This is the kind of kindness that gives the most glory to YHWH!
Let us accept YHWH’s invitation; let us reach out and partake of this amazing fruit, adding kindness to a less kind world.
Stay Salty!
“You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt becomes tasteless, how shall it be seasoned? For it is no longer of any use but to be thrown out and to be trodden down by men.”
