Colossians 3:12-14 NIV
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
How do you clothe yourself with kindness in a world where kindness is often taken for granted or sometimes seen as weakness? Growing up I recall a few people that God had allowed to show kindness to me even though I had no blood relation to them. There is one woman in particular whom God used to teach me what it is like to be loved by a mother figure as a young child when I was desperately seeking maternal love. To my amazement, she was not doing it to gain any recognition or reward but simply had a deep genuine ‘moral excellence’ toward my wellbeing. In Hebrew-Greek the word Kindness is chrestotes which derives from the word Chrestos. They described the word as “usefulness, moral excellence (in character or demeanor)-Gentleness, goodness, kindness (Key-Word Study Bible). Webster dictionary described kindness as “the quality or state of being kind.”
Kind is described in the Webster dictionary as “of a sympathetic or helpful nature.” Kindness, such a simple word but so powerful when used genuinely. What do I mean by genuine kindness? As I asked this question, the first scripture that came to my mind is the word of Jesus in Matthew 6:1-4 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So, when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” As I read Jesus’ warning, it brings me back to the question I have learned to ask myself before I engage in anything, why do I do what I do? The motive behind our decisions and actions matters. Jesus, throughout his ministry has exemplified what the word kindness looks like. Every act of kindness Jesus did, he expressed that they were for the glory of God and for the benefit of those he helps and for others who need to hear the gospel. John 11:41-44, “So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” Is it in your nature to be kind toward others who need your act of kindness? It’s easier to show kindness to people we love. How do you do when it’s toward the people who are not likeable or who have done you wrong? Think about this! Christ died for you and me, while we were God’s enemies, to reconcile us to our Father and creator (Romans 5:10). What motivates your acts of kindness? As we clothe ourselves with kindness, let’s imitate our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through moral excellence with the goal to give God glory.
