Dr. Duke Jeyaraj
KINDNESS AND USRev. Dr. Duke Jeyaraj
13th November is World Kindness Day. It is a good time to summarize what the Bible teaches on Kindness.
KINDNESS AND THE UNBELIEVER
The Lord Jesus is extremely kind to everyone of us. That is why instead of straight-away frying us in hell, he came flying to save us from going to a living hell and a literal hell (Titus 3:4-5). But in response have you spoken unkind words about your Creator? Have you been rude when you have said anything about the Savior? The Bible says, Jesus is coming again and he will call into account everyone who has spoken unkindly about him! Read it for yourself: “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy oneto execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him” (Jude 14-15). In response to Jesus’ very kind, “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden” call, do you answer like those in Jeremiah’s time did, rudely? They said that we will not walk in the ancient paths (Jer. 6:16) and do you say you will not walk in the narrow road of life Jesus? The consequences can be very costly! The kindness of God is showered upon us, so that we can repent (Rom. 2:4). God wants our repentance – not riddance!
Are you rude in your response to the kind call of Jesus the Savior?
KINDNESS AND THE BELIEVER
Kindness! Our answers as believers to people who question us must be characterized by it! How do we answer people, even those who may be critical of us? Shimei cursed King David. He called him “worthless”. He called David, “a man of bloodshed”. In response, Abishai (David’s man) was even more unkind to the already unkind Shimei. Abishai called him “a dead dog”. But King David’s response to Shimei was very kind. He said, “If he curses me because the LORD told him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why did you do this?’ ” (2 Sam. 16:10). No wonder, David would be later called a man after God’s own heart! After all, God’s son, Jesus was kind and loving even to those who mocked him enroute to the Cross!
One reason why David was called the man after God’s Own heart is explained above!
KINDNESS AND THE LEADER
The Proverbs Penman makes this observation: “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov. 15:1). This observation gives a lesson for leaders who have to lead members of their team who are constantly speaking rudely to each other and warring! When leaders respond with Spirit-led soft words to angry words spoken, the tension in the team diffuses! When insults are matched with greater insults, scoffs are matched with greater scoffs, the shalom(peace) of the team you lead goes for a Rohit Sharma six! King Solomon’s Son, King Rehoboam answered Jeroboam without an iota of kindness. It is recorded so in I Kings: “And the king (Rehoboam) answered the people harshly, and forsaking the counsel that the old men had given him” (I Kings 12:13). The result: the Northerm tribes of Israel split with their southern brothers!
KINDNESS IN THE FAMILY
Kindness! That must be part of the character of husbands!Apostle Paul writes, “Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them” (Col. 3:19). Husbands must be kind to their wives! It is easy to be kind when our life partner is also being kind to us! But the Christian spouse takes it as a challenge to be kind even when unkind things are being said in the heat of the moment! It is this kind of Christ-like kind response that diffuses tensions at home! Did we not promise when we made our wedding wow that we would love and cherish our spouses even during their “worser” times? When they are unkind, they are perhaps in their worser behavior and we ought to still love and cherish them!
KINDNESS IN THE MINISTRY
The Shepherds of Israel were accused of being harsh and unkind by God in the writings of Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek. 34:4). In the New Testament we read of Shepherds who only feed themselves (Jude 12). Are you in the Christian ministry? Do you selfishly expect kind words to be spoken to you always but choose to respond rudely when the people you are called to minister to, make heavy demands of you? You may be tired. Your energy levels may be down, because of non-stop ministry. You may be under severe pressure. But that is no excuse for those of us in ministry to be rude to anyone. Let us be kind and serve the Lord! One practical way we can be kind to those whom we minister to is by remembering their names and calling them lovingly by the same! Having a notebook which will help us do that is commendable! Paul named atleast 60 different people who were with him as he ministered!
Paul the kind leader, remembered the names of atleast 60 associates of him!
THE POWER TO BE KIND
We know that among the fruit of the Spirit – there is also the indispensable ingredient of kindness (Gal. 5:22-23). That means we cannot be kind, the way God wants us to be kind, with our own strength. However, with the enablement the Holy Spirit gives we can be kind even to those who are extremely unkind to us!
Let us be kind! Let us be ruthless in flushing out rude behavior in the Kingdom of God!
(This article written by Duke Jeyaraj appeared in the November 2023 issue of Aim magazine published by Evangelical Fellowship of India. To know more about Duke Jeyaraj’s ministry, the G4 Mission, a ministry to the Google Generation that is reader-supported, please Whatsapp 918886040605.)
Leave a Reply