Thoughts on Kindness by Ifeoma Aleke.

  

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

Kindness is a word that we often use loosely, “that woman is kind”, “ that’s very kind of you” “she seems like a kind person” but have we ever truly stepped back to understand what we mean when we say someone is kind? Has this fruit of the Holy Spirit come to grow in us and have we shared this fruit with others in our daily walk with Christ?

Kindness is not just about giving material things, to be kind is to be compassionate, to show empathy. It is an offshoot of love. In my opinion, this is one of the fruits of the spirit that can be squeezed from the other fruits for instance; if you have love you would most likely be kind to others as love and kindness go hand in hand. If you are patient you would tolerate and forgive one another which is also a form of kindness and if one is gentle they would equally be willing to lend a helping hand or a listening ear as another act of kindness. I would love to have all of the fruits of the Holy Spirit as listed in Galatians 5:22 but if I had to choose a few of them, kindness would certainly be one of them. 

Most people feel kindness has to do with big gestures of generosity such as donating large sums of money to the poor but kindness stems in the simple everyday acts of smiling at a stranger who may be having a bad day. I recently had an encounter at the ER (emergency room) this Christmas and I was having a terrible day as I had made all sorts of plans but I met this nurse who was just so kind to me initially I just kept frowning the whole time as I was in such a terrible mood and paid no attention to her but she went out of her way each time to make sure I was properly attended to and as we left when the emergency had been taken care of she told me “always stay positive no matter what” I can tell you for sure that I left In a lighter mood.

Christianity is Kindness

Kindness is so important to Christianity and life in general I don’t know how someone could say that they are a Christian and not be kind as Christ embodies kindness. Many examples of kindness can be seen in the life of Christ for instance where he fed the 5,000, or where he prevented the stoning of the adulterous woman, or where he healed the sick, the blind, the lame so many miracles too numerous to mention. These acts came from a place of love but also kindness because they go hand in hand.

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.Micah 6:8

 Kindness is being your brother’s keeper

It truly bothers me to see Christians who on social media bully or gossip (I’m not saying I am perfect) but yet would be the first in church on Sundays and the last to leave.Some Christians right after church service, would be scrambling out of church in a mini traffic jam and instead of letting the other car go ahead of theirs they would rather fight their way or jump the queue while the other person reigns abuses on them. Sadly, this is a scenario that plays out all the time and it makes me question the kind of Christianity we are practicing these days such behaviour is far from being kind.

Kindness is a way of life

Over the years I have come to realise that everyone is kind to someone in one way or the other but not always.I know we are humans and it’s difficult to be kind all the time and the attitude of others doesn’t make it any easier but remember that it is not by our power and by our might but by my spirit says the Lord Zechariah 4:6.Since kindness is a fruit of the spirit it is something that we should strive to have by trying our best to work on it however we can’t do it on our own, we must ask the Holy Spirit for help. Essentially, kindness should be a way of life.

As mother Theresa said,

“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.” “The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved.”

“As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good”2 Thessalonians 3:13

Kindness is forgiving and forgetting

I often hear people say I was kind or I used to be kind but people took advantage of it and Since then I have chosen not to let it happen again my response to that is what if God had the same attitude? This is why the Lord’s Prayer is so apt because it’s almost like we are setting our own precedent “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” does that ring a bell? Well if we can say that, then no matter how people may have hurt you in the past, you should never stop being kind.

 “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” Luke 6:35

Kindness is practical

Kindness is in the small and big gestures from helping that tired mother on the bus who is struggling to carry her groceries and two crying toddlers to offering your seat for someone else especially the elderly, from saying hello and starting a conversation with that widow at the church who is always sat by herself to giving to the poor not just materially but also in spending precious time with them and treating them like human beings.

So my dear friends let us share the fruits of the spirit among others for as scripture says “let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time we Will reap a harvest if we do not give up” Galatians 6:9

Let us start the new year with deliberate acts of kindness!

 

Ifeoma

This is a featured guest post from a dear childhood friend, Ifeoma. We attended Primary and Secondary school together. Recently renewed contact after having lost touch for some time. Its beautiful to see how much in common we have and how much we've grown over time. God is so amazing.