"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness..."

I've thought a great deal about kindness this past week.  The verse that kept coming to my mind was Ephesians 4:32, which says, "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."  I've mentioned more than once that unforgiveness has been a stronghold in my life for many years.  I do believe God is releasing me of that (praise His Holy Name!) but I am finding that it isn't enough that I learn to forgive as He forgives.   He commands that I go a step further and show kindness...even to those who haven't been kind to me (the ones I struggle to forgive).  I'm reminded of a quote from the television show, Seinfeld, when George says, "Oh, that's not good enough! You don't try and de-sour.  You have to sweeten too!"   How many times have I "soured" toward someone and when I've finally forgiven them I've really only "de-soured" and not taken it to that next step of "sweetening"?  Too many times to count I'm sure.  But that's what God calls us to...and not phony sweetening either.  He wants genuine kindness from us.

Let's not forget that the verse at the top says "the fruit of the Spirit" and not "the fruit of a good person".  So, no amount of "trying" is going to cut it.  We can't truly be kind even if we wanted to, it's just not the nature of our flesh.  However, if the Holy Spirit dwells within us, then the extent to which we are yielded to that Spirit we are able to display kindness.  The Greek word for kindness is chrestotes and it means, "tender concern for others...the genuine desire of a believer to treat others gently, just as the Lord treats him."1  So then, maybe we should be asking, "How does God treat us?"  Well, quite simply, as believers, He treats us as His beloved children!    He sent His "only begotten Son" to be the ultimate and final sacrifice for our sins!  He loves us unconditionally.  He rejoices over our being!  He brings peace to our troubled hearts through the blood of Christ!  He's ever so patient with our stumbling and fumbling, not wanting any to perish!   And He leads His children, past, present and future with chords of kindness!

This kindness resulting from the fruit of the Spirit is "the grace which pervades the whole nature, mellowing all which would be harsh and austere."1 Basically God's kindness removes the sharp edges.  Without kindness, comforting someone would be impossible.  Without this kindness, discipline and rebuke would be abusive and offensive at best.  Kindness also takes the harshness out of forgiveness.  If we are kind towards those who have wronged us, doesn't it make it a little more bearable to truly forgive them?  God doesn't want us just trying to de-sour...no, because through Him we are able to de-sour and sweeten too!

"...but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD.  Jeremiah 9:24
 

1 Living Beyond Yourself, Beth Moore