kindness

The other day I was at the grocery store. I grabbed one protein bar and a bottle of water and walked up to the line. The place was slammed. There was a woman in line with a basket full of groceries. She looked at me and said, “You can go ahead of me”. I graciously accepted and moved to the front of the line. I appreciated her kindness. I actually needed to get to a meeting and she eased my pathway there.

“But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness…” Galatians 5:22 (NLT)

Can you imagine a world without kindness? No friendly smiles. No welcoming hand shakes. No warm embraces. No letting people in traffic. No saying thanks. No one to help watch your kids. No welfare. No one helps any one with anything. Why? Because in this world there is no such thing as kindness. No one brings food when you’re sick. No one calls when you’re missing. No one grabs your trash can when it blows down the street. No one comes when your country is invaded by a foreign army. No one gives when a hurricane floods your city. No one cares-no one is kind.

Really, what we are imagining is a world without love, and when we imagine a world with out love, we imagine a world without God. God is love and love is kind. There is kindness in the world today because God’s character has been embedded into his creation.

“For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature.” Romans 1:19-20

So we who have been created in the image of God, even though we have fallen natures now, understand the need for kindness. It is a basic instinct that we should be kind. Why? Because God has put this knowledge of His kindness in our hearts.

I believe kindness is the most underestimated aspect of God’s life that is produced in us. Kindness reaches out and touches. Not only does it touch, but it changes us, it causes us to reflect deeply about who we are and change for the better. God is transforming us by His kindness and making us into people who do mighty acts of kindness in His name. His Kingdom is a Kingdom of kindness filling the earth with powerful expressions of His heart.

It is amazing what an act of kindness can do to change the trajectory of someone’s life. Acts of kindness are what link us together as a community and a culture. If no one was kind, our economic and social structures would quickly erode and life as we know it would end. Kindness is the glue that keeps our selfish world from falling apart and spinning out of control into a chaos of endless cruelty and hatred.

Why? Because God is kind. Kindness is His nature-His character. Believe it or not, He is holding all of us together right now with His kindness.

“The Lord passed in front of Moses and said, "I am the Lord. The Lord is a God who shows mercy, who is kind, who doesn't become angry quickly, who has great love and faithfulness and is kind to thousands of people.” Exodus 34:6-7

Join me in these writings over the next week and in our weekend services as we learn about a life-changing power called kindness. You can become a transforming agent of God’s kindness.
Chris