For the last few posts, I’ve been looking at the Fruit of the Spirit.  If you’ve been following me, then by now you’ve learned that the fruit are not something you can just decide to do on your own.  They need to be produced by the Holy Spirit operating within you.

The fruit of kindness is no different.  Contrary to what most people think, God’s view of kindness is not merely being nice to people.  God uses this word in a very specific way in the Scriptures.  He actually tells us that we can’t produce it on our own.

“All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
Romans 3:12

In the above verse, the phrase, does good, is the same Greek word used for the fruit of kindness.  According to the Lord, no one is kind.

Why is that?  What is it about kindness that makes it so difficult to walk in?  The answer to that is found in the description of how God operates.

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.  Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Luke 6:35

Kindness is not just a matter of doing nice things for people.  In God’s eyes, the definition of kindness is; doing good to those who absolutely don’t deserve it.  That’s a part of God’s character, but it’s foreign to our human nature.

It seems like the last thing we would do is to help someone who’s hateful or has wronged us in some way.  We want them to apologize or admit that they were wrong before we do anything like that.

I praise God that He didn’t treat me the way I deserved to be treated.  My place should be in the Lake of Fire.  Instead, the Father gave all my sin to Jesus Christ on the cross.  It wasn’t fair, but it was kind.

Knowing this part of God’s character is why we shouldn’t be judgmental.

Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?
Romans 2:4

This is why kindness is so powerful.  It leads us to repentance.  When we find out just how kind God was, it drew us to Him.  Now, He wants us to display that same character through our lives.  That shows others that the Spirit of Christ is in us.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32

This is another reason that it’s so hard to be kind.  It compels us to forgive people who don’t deserve to be forgiven.  Through kindness, we learn what it’s like to see through the Lord’s eyes.

It may be hard to produce, but if we let the Holy Spirit work in us, it will bring powerful results.  The world will definitely see something different in us.  They’ll be drawn to Christ.

“How could you possibly be nice to that person?”

“It’s only because of Christ in me.”

Spend time with the Holy Spirit.  Allow Him to work His fruit of kindness in your life.  It will change everything.

Question: What was a recent time that you saw God’s patience operating through you?

© Nick Zaccardi 2017