Learning to Show Kindness

 Were you aware that this past February 17th was 'National Random Acts of Kindness Day'...? If you've ever experienced one of those 'random acts of kindness', it can really make your day. A couple of weeks ago, Erin was in line at the store with Augie sitting in the shopping cart. (Augie was in the cart, not Erin…) There was a nice Grandmotherly woman in line behind her and Augie peaked around and flashed her his little grin. The woman commented how he was sitting so patiently and then handed Erin a couple of dollars so he could pick out a small toy. He was so excited and she now had a big smile on her face, too.

We're continuing this morning in our series about the Fruit of the Spirit. We're looking at the qualities that we're supposed to develop as we grow in our relationship with Jesus. Let's look again at our key passage that should be very familiar…

Galatians 5:22-25 (NIV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (24) Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. (25) Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Today we're focusing on kindness. I once read that, "Kindness is the only language that the blind can see and the deaf can hear." I want to make sure we're looking at the term "kindness" in the way it was originally intended. Notice it doesn't say, "love, joy, peace, patience, niceness" - it says "kindness". - But isn't being nice and being kind basically the same thing? Well, there is a difference...

How might we describe 'nice'? - Being polite, smiling, saying 'nice things', being considerate – all very good things. But let's look at it this way – does smiling at someone or saying 'thank you' or 'you're welcome' cost me anything? Don't get me wrong, I'm not disparaging 'niceness'. This world would be a whole lot better place if we were all nicer to one another. But this passage is not specifically talking about that concept.

What we see in Galatians is the call to be kind. The idea being conveyed here takes 'niceness' further. 'Nice' is good, but I'd like to suggest that practicing the Biblical concept of 'kindness' should probably cost you something. Being 'nice' is nice, but…

I. Kindness is useful

The word 'kindness' used in this passage, in the original language actually comes from the word 'useful'. Kindness is about 'niceness' being acted upon – it's a very practical concept. Biblical kindness means that you act out your 'niceness'.

Think of it this way - you see a post on a friend's Facebook page; they say something about maybe having a rough day or something and you click 'like', or you put some sort of emoji to show your support. That's 'nice' – 'liking' someone's post - that's a fine thing. Kindness goes beyond the gesture to do something useful. And many times on social media a gesture may be all that's really required.

- But what about this - remember the recent Hurricanes Helene and Milton...? 'Nice' would be posting something like "#support hurricane victims". That's a fine sentiment - but actually donating time or money to the effort - that makes a difference, that's useful - that's Biblical kindness.

And as we've seen these natural disaster recoveries play out in the media - it's been interesting to see what makes the news. There have been stories of celebrities donating from $10,000 to $5 Million dollars. Of course some might say - 'Well, it's easy to be generous when you make millions of dollars'. And that's true to an extent - I understand as a percentage of what they make that may not be as big a sacrifice as it would be for others. But on the other hand, five million dollars isn't chump change. It's still very beneficial to the effort!

I also read another surprising story. The country of Taiwan donated $800,000 to help local governments and residents in three states hit hard by Hurricane Helene. A representative of the government said, "Taiwan has experienced similar tragedies and understands the profound sense of loss that follows typhoons and earthquakes..."

- Generosity from celebrities to Taiwan - all practicing 'kindness' to their 'fellow man' in a very useful way that goes beyond a social media post or 'hash tag'. And neither group, Hollywood celebs nor Taiwan - neither is known for their overly Christian beliefs. If even those in the world see a need and feel the call to be kind - if they can do it, shouldn't we who follow Jesus feel the burden even more so? As Christians we're called to an even higher standard.

Luke 6:32-33 (NIV)

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. (33) And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that.

Most of the kindness practiced here by believers at Deep River - I'll probably never even know about it, since it doesn't make the news. But there are many times when I do hear about some of you really being a blessing to others. It's not trumpeted from the mountains, not usually announced on Sunday morning... But it's done in humility, not for recognition - but simple, useful kindness done out of love! And it's that kindness that I want to continue to encourage and also say 'thank you'. God sees your acts of kindness and you will be rewarded – keep it up!

Christians should be some of the kindest, most useful people around. And many are - and others aren't. But if we give ourselves fully to God's work, we can be useful for more than just brief moments to people – we can bring the hope of eternity! If kindness is about being useful – what's more useful than showing someone the way to Heaven; introducing them to Jesus?

Kindness is about being useful, so the next question might be…

II. Useful to whom?

If we look in the Gospels, we can find insight into Jesus' thoughts on that subject in Mark 12:28-31 (NIV)...

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" (29) "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

(30) Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' (31) The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

It's in this passage that we find part of the answer, useful to whom? We're going to start with the second part of that answer...

A. To your neighbor

Jesus' top priority is that we love God and the second is that we love our neighbor. There are a lot of things that we might tend to try and place ahead of that second one. I am learning that my priorities are not better than Jesus' priorities. To refine the idea of neighbor, let's turn to a story that should be familiar to many of you. We find a man questioning Jesus in Luke 10:29-37 (NIV)...

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" (30) In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. (31) A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. (32) So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

(33) But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. (34) He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. (35) The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

(36) "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" (37) The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

That's an example of the type of kindness to our neighbor to which we are called. It was more than just being nice, it was kindness – it was practical, it was extremely useful. It's good to give to causes far away, but Jesus didn't want us to ignore the needs right around us.

A man was driving on Rt. 30 and he came to a line of cars stopped at the light. When the light turned green, the lane didn't move. Turns out there was a stalled car blocking the way. All the cars started honking and trying to get in the other lane to pass by. When the man got close enough to see, he noticed it was a young girl in the driver's seat – and she was crying.

He pulled over and asked her how he could help. She had already called for a ride, but wasn't able to get her stalled car out of traffic. So he told her to put the car in neutral and he'd push her over onto the shoulder. So they moved the car and traffic then moved along again with no further honking. He told her he'd wait in his car until her ride came, but she said she was fine – so he went ahead and drove home.

Now what if I told you that the man had simply decided to be nice in this situation – meaning he chose not to honk? That would be nice wouldn't it? What if I told you that as he passed her by, he remembered to smile? What if he went that extra mile and rolled his window down and told her that he was praying for her as he passed by? That would have been technically kind, but it wouldn't have felt overly useful.

He could have said, "I don't know her – she's not really my responsibility; I've got a family to get home to." But then he would have been just like the men in Jesus' story who passed by on the other side.

We are called to be kind, to be useful to our neighbors – to anyone in need with whom we come in contact. I understand we can't be useful in that way in every situation to everyone in the world. There's only one of me and I do have multiple responsibilities. - But, I can be kind; I can be useful to those right around me. Am I willing to do so for my 'neighbor'? That's what we need to learn and consistently live out.

I want to look at someone else to whom we should be kind; someone else who should find us useful. According to Jesus, the most important person to be kind to, to show love to is...

B. To God

The idea of being kind to God wasn't something I really thought about before examining this passage – not until I realized the connection between being kind and being useful. I have to wonder, does God consider me kind or just nice? Let's take a quick look at Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV)...

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' (23) Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"

Those are some pretty strong words from Jesus. Jesus was seeking more than just words from His followers. Now, I want to be clear here – this passage is not implying that we earn our way to Heaven by good deeds. In fact, this passage is speaking about people who had done a lot of good deeds and who still wouldn't enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

The difference between making it into Heaven isn't dependent on your good deeds, but, as Jesus put it, "he who does the will of my Father". There will be people who claim to know Jesus – but the question is, does Jesus know you? Why do we do good things - to impress those around us? - To somehow try to impress God? Or are we doing good things simply because we love Jesus and want to follow God's will?

If we want to really learn about being kind, we need to look to Jesus because…

III. Jesus was kind first

All of the characteristics in the Fruit of the Spirit are characteristics that describe Jesus. Kindness is exemplified in Jesus. I want you to pay close attention to this next passage…

Titus 3:4-7 (NIV)

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, (5) he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, (6) whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, (7) so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Look at that first sentence, "when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared". The 'kindness' of God is Jesus! Jesus is very literally the embodiment of God's kindness! And how was God kind to us through Jesus? He was kind by saving us from Hell and adopting us into His family so that we can go to Heaven despite the fact that we don't deserve it. I'd say that's pretty kind. I'd say that's pretty useful, wouldn't you?

Romans 3:22-24 (NIV)

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, (23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (24) and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Why should we be kind to those who don't deserve it? Because we don't deserve the kindness that God has shown to us.

So What?

The world has enough nice Christians; but it sure could use more kind ones – more useful ones. If we take Jesus' command to love God, and each other, seriously – we will be kind. At the end of this service, as we're just about to leave – you'll hear me say some very annoyingly familiar words, "Please, next week – bring a friend." One of the kindest things you can do is to invite someone to Church with you.

- If you happen to see someone staring at their phone while walking down the street and they're a few feet away from dropping into an open manhole – what's the kind thing to do? You warn them! You act! That's kind; that's pretty useful to that person.

There are a lot of people walking around, without any idea of God's love for them. Whether they know it or not – they're walking right into disaster. What's the kind thing to do?

All across America, there are a lot of people who fill pews on Sunday morning who are very nice people, but when it comes to fulfilling God's will here on earth – many may be pretty useless. You have a choice – will you choose to be kind? Will you choose to be useful to God?