Kindness is becoming scarcer and scarcer as each day passes in our world today. It is a virtue that not everyone inherently possess. You’ll be amazed to know that some people are even asking the question “How can I be kind?”
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” – Galatians 5:22-23
Kindness is not a Personality
Branding someone as kind does not mean that the person is born that way. Doesn’t mean that you can’t be that way. It is not just a form of behavior.
Kindness is a lifestyle. And this lifestyle is made up of little choices. Choices that are made in surrender to the character of Christ everyday.
“Being kind is more important than being right.” – this is what my girl always tells me. And I believe her. Kindness is more important than being right. Why? Because kindness is a shard of grace in action. It is a sight to behold when it is in play.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” – 1 Corinthians 13:4
Kindness is a manifestation of love. Love is a manifestation of Christ.
Kindness is Most Powerful in the Proactive
“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” – Luke 6:31
It doesn’t say ‘don’t do unto others’ because this verse takes on the proactive mindset. Christ tells us to DO. Do kindness. Be kind to others. Kindness in action is most powerful in the proactive. When it is especially not needed. It is then when the grace of God is most seen.
Kindness Goes Beyond Reasoning
It goes beyond understanding too. Because it can be practiced without it. You don’t need to reason out to yourself to be kind in order to be so. You don’t need to understand the situation in order for you to be so. Just be so.
A Natural Outflow
A fruit doesn’t have to be forced out by a tree so that it would come out. It’s a natural outflow of how healthy the tree is. It is also defined by what the tree is. A mango is produced by a mango tree. A coconut is produced by a coconut tree.
Being a fruit of the Spirit, Kindness should be seen in our lives. If our lives are healthily centered in Christ, it will naturally flow out of our actions.
“Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.” – Matthew 7:20
If the fruit is the product of the tree, kindness should only be a product of Christ likeness.
Kindness is a lifestyle rooted in the Character of Christ.
