I can still here my mother say, “Be nice!” anytime I wasn’t being as such, typically towards my siblings. Now as a mother myself, I have repeated those words on many occasions with my own children. The older I get the more I realize how “un-nice” folks tend to be toward each other, often times in circumstances that amount to nothing in the end.
The “Be Nice!” command has shifted shape over the last few years to more eloquent terminology- “Kindness matters.” And in elementary schools it takes the shape of an actual bee in the Bee Kind curriculum.
Kindness: The quality of being friendly, generous and considerate; warm-heartedness, concern, care.
But does kindness matter from a biblical perspective? No doubt we are to love and pray for our enemies, love our neighbor as ourselves, and most of all love God. But are we called to kindness?
The answer is a resounding Yes!
Galatians 5:22 says, “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, KINDNESS, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
Let’s read that in context:
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, KINDNESS, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” Galatians 5: 16-26 NKJV
Wow! That seems like a pretty tall order. But remember, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 NKJV
Kindness really does matter. In a world full of hate, division, terrorism, and sin, kindness, as well as all the fruits of the Spirit, make a difference. Don’t let fear, envy, strife and division overtake you, causing you to be unkind toward your fellow man. And don’t mistake the use of wisdom and discipline for hate and prejudice. You can be kind to someone while utilizing tough love- moms do this all the time!
I read this recently, “We don’t have to agree on anything to be kind to one another.” What a true statement!
“To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.” Job 6:14 NKJV
I don’t think it can be spelled out any clearer than that. How much more can we disagree with a friend than one who has forsaken the fear of the Lord? And yet, we are still called to be kind to such a friend.
In His Service,
Rebecca Hamilton, Founder/ Executive Director
For Every Great Battle, There is a Great Victory!!