What does it even mean to be Kind? Is that simply to be ‘Nice’? Does it mean I must be the ‘door mat’ no matter what?
Let’s start with a dictionary definition for Kindness as a Noun :
‘the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.’
The principle to ‘Be Kind’, however, turns it into a Verb because one can’t really say he is going to be kind – that sounds like an empty promise but it is easy to see that someone was kind (past tense).
I found a lot of articles on the internet about this subject but the next video is worth watching.
TOP 15 INCREDIBLE ACTS OF KINDNESS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP99BPlmqbQ
What struck me most is the fact that people were confronted with these opportunities while busy with their ordinary lives and how they then just stopped what they were busy with to ‘save the day’ without expecting anything in return…
This restored my faith in mankind where everyone seems to be doing their own thing and selfishly living for themselves.
It also struck me that the receiver of the kindness didn’t expect it either.
We are instructed to be kind in 2Pe 1:7 (add) to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
Can I therefore suggest my own definition of Kindness?
It is when you pause your life for the sake of another to improve their lives without them expecting or asking you to help and to still have a good attitude towards them thereafter.
That means I can allow someone to move into the lane before me and still smile at him afterwards…
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.
If it is a fruit it means it is a result of who I am, not trying to put up a performance to get something or doing something grudgingly.
I think we can only bear fruit like this if we are led by the Holy Spirit. Let’s look at the life of Jesus in Luk 8. Many people followed Him from town to town as He was busy telling them about the kingdom of God and yet, whenever he was confronted with an opportunity to be kind to someone, He paused His life and ‘bettered a situation’. Now let’s just stop here and analyze a little. I think Jesus was a very busy man and He had to do lots of planning to move so many people from town to town. However, the moment he was faced with an opportunity to be kind (heal) someone, he handled the situation according to Joh 5:19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner”.
To me this means Jesus planned well but ‘allowed’ God to interrupt Him to be kind to someone.
Can we live like that?