Kindness

KINDNESS

God calls us to be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave us. It’s easy to be kind to our friends, but the Bible also calls us to be kind to our enemies! This is a different challenge altogether. But, just because it is challenging doesn’t mean we are excused.

In Luke, it says, ‘Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and evil“. In one way, He’s saying he can recognise us by how we treat our enemies, and if we do acts of kindness out of the goodness of our hearts we will be rewarded. We shouldn’t do it expecting something in return. It says we should do good expecting nothing!

Doing something for someone expecting something in return is not an act of kindness.  You are to do things out of the goodness and kindness of your heart never expecting the favour to be returned, but instead being satisfied knowing what you have done is pleasing to God because you showed kindness. 

The Bible says in 1 Peter saying, “Do not repay evil for evil or insulting for insulting, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing“. Vengeance belongs to God. We are to show kindness regardless of whether we are shown kindness in return.

Bible Verses:

Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

Proverbs 11:17 A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.

Colossians 3:12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

Proverbs 31:26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Song:

The Lord is my Shepherd (Psalm 23)

Collective Worship:

Collective Worship - Kindness 1