We need to understand the spiritual fruit of kindness. What is the essential nature of kindness?
Kindness is treating other people the way we would wish them to treat us.
This is what makes kindness practical and easy to comprehend, easy to apply, because we usually know how we would like other people to treat us, we’re very clear about that in our minds. Kindness means that we treat other people the way we want them to treat us.
Jesus has something to say about this in Luke 6, verses 27-31. He says this, But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also. And whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. And just as you want men to treat you, treat them in the same way.
There are several examples of kindness: loving our enemies, doing good to those who hate us, blessing those who curse us, praying for those who mistreat us. And if anybody wants to take away something that is ours, we do not withhold it. We give to those who ask of us.
I think the various things that Jesus mentions are forms of conduct that manifest kindness in action.
But in the last verse, He sums it up and gives us the key to kindness. He says, just as you want men to treat you, treat them in the same way. Treat others as you want them to treat you.
In the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 7: 12, Jesus says, therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do so for them. For this is the law and the prophets.
That’s an amazing statement, the entire Old Testament, the law and the prophets, was based on one simple principle, that whatever you want other people to do to you, you do to them.
Sometimes we get so lost in the maze (complicated set of rules, or things we ought to do, that we find it difficult to understand it all) of commandments and ordinances that we wonder what it’s all about.
But here in the New Testament, Jesus sums it all up in that one simple, basic principle that you treat others the way you want them to treat you.
Now, that’s how God’s will is going to work. We have to love God with all our heart, so that we dwell in His presence which is going to transform us into the likeness and image of Jesus, and then love others who do not know him as we would want them to love us if we had character defects or sin problems in our life so that we portray God’s love for them, and if they respect us it will open the door for them to change.
We need to remember how we treat others, will come back to affect us. What we sow we will reap. If we resent others, they will resent us, if we reject others, they will reject us and so on and so forth, but if we love others selflessly and unconditionally it will open up the door, give us an opportunity to speak the truth in love to them in a way that it we change their life.
Once a person opens up to us, we can speak a word that will impart God to them. The problem is a hard heart, so we need to soften it.
The treatment that you measure out to others ultimately will return to you. This is a spiritual law. It’s a law that God has built into human conduct and human relationships.
Galatians 6: 7 Be not deceiving yourselves! God is not to be mocked; For whatsoever a man soweth the same shall he also reap,8 Because he that soweth into his own flesh. Out of the flesh shall reap corruption, Whereas he that soweth into the Spirit. Out of the Spirit shall reap age-abiding life. 9 And in doing that, which is honorable let us not be fainthearted; For in due season, we shall reap if we faint not. 10 Hence then as we have opportunity′ Let us be working what is good towards all, But especially towards the family of the faith.
So, you see, in this aspect, real kindness is just enlightened self-interest. What you want to get back is what you give out. However, for this to work, we must combine kindness with patience, and a willingness to hold out. We don’t always look for quick results. Sometimes we must wait quite a long while before we reap what we’ve been sowing whether it’s good or whether it’s evil.
But what the Scripture tells us is, whatever we sow, that’s what we’re going to get back.
But Paul emphasizes the need for patience in Galatians 6:9. He says, and let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. So, there’s a waiting period between sowing and reaping. You treat others the way that you want them to treat you, and it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll react and respond that way immediately. In fact, it may look like just the very opposite.
But Paul says, if you go on and don’t give up, in due time, you will reap what you’ve sown.
There’s great emphasis in the Bible, particularly in applying this principle to the poor. The Bible has a lot more to say about helping the poor than quite a few Christians have realized.
For instance, in Proverbs chapter 19, verse 17, it says, when you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord, and He pays wonderful interest on your loan. He may keep the loan quite a long while, but one day you’ll get it back with interest, and God’s rate of interest is high.
So again, that’s the same principle. Give out, be kind, treat others the way you want them to treat you. And though it may seem you’ve given out and you’re getting nothing back, remember, you’ve really made a loan to the Lord. And even if people aren’t faithful, the Lord will see that you’re repaid.
The same principle is stated again in Ecclesiastes11: Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.
Give out and just wait and see how God is going to reward you.
So, Solomon says, do your duty, give to the people who need help, and go a little bit beyond. Why?
Because you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.
In other words, one day you may need help. You may be the one who’s in a desperate situation.
If you’ve given out and helping others, when that day comes, God will see to it that you’re properly cared for.
What I’ve been saying about treating others the way we want them to treat us applies not only to our actions, but just as much to our attitudes.
Jesus says in Matthew 7: Stop pronouncing censorious criticism, in order that you may not be the object of censorious criticism, for with that judgment by which you are judging, you will be judged, and with that standard of judgment with which you are judging, by that standard will judgment be passed on you..
In other words, we better judge people charitably because we’re going to want them to judge us charitably at some point in the future.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:7, Jesus says, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
If we want to receive mercy from God, we must show mercy to others. One principle that has gone on with me all through my life as a Christian, which is more than 40 years, is that I need the mercy of God. I have never been ignorant of that. I’m always aware continually that I need God’s mercy.
For that reason, personally, I do not dare to deny mercy to others simply because I know that I needed mercy from God. Paul talks this kind of attitude in Galatians 6: Brethren, if, however, a man be overtaken in a sin, as for you who are the spiritual ones, be restoring such a one in a spirit of meekness, taking heed to yourself lest you also be tempted. One another’s burdens be constantly bearing, and thus you will fully satisfy the requirements of the law of the Christ.
When it comes to dealing with our fellow believers who has made some kind of a mistake and got themselves into trouble. Paul says, Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, looking to yourselves, lest you too be tempted.
See, spirituality is not being severe and legalistic and dogmatic. Spirituality is being gentle to others when they’re in trouble.
The reason why we need to be gentle to others is that the same weaknesses that are in them could easily reappear in us.
So many times, in my Christian experience, I’ve seen Christians harshly judge another believer who got into trouble. And it wasn’t very long before the one who judged harshly was in just the same kind of trouble themselves.
I remember back in the day when I was a young believer, I was still doing drugs, I heard Jimmy Swagart on TV saying, “long hair, pill popping, drug smoking, I’m sick of it”! and in a matter of a week you know what happened to him. The Bible speaks of the failures of men, like David who was an Adulterer, and a murderer, which was far worse than paying a prostitute to have sex with him.
The Bible (YHWY) calls king David a man after His own heart, when God forgives us, He does not recall what we have done in our past, it does not exist. Our sins are as far as the east is if from the west. Jimmy has probably done more for the Lord than any one of us ever will, I honor the man. But I am believing for greater things.
You see, it’s a spiritual law. Listen to what James says in chapter 2, verse 13, For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
If you’re not merciful in judging others, you’ll be judged without mercy yourself. That verse is rendered a little more fully in the Living Bible. For there will be no mercy to those who have shown no mercy. But if you have been merciful, then God’s mercy toward you will win out over His judgment against you.
So, you could be judged by God. There are things in your life, doubtless, that God could judge you for. God is a God of judgment, but He’s also a God of mercy. How can you be sure that it’s God’s mercy you’ll receive and not His judgment? By showing mercy to others and judging yourself through the Holy Spirit.
If you have been merciful, then God’s mercy toward you will win out over his judgment against you. Well then, I would like to sum up what kindness is.
Kindness is treating others the way you want them to treat you. Or, to put it in another way, kindness is living in harmony with the laws that govern the universe, especially the laws that govern conduct and relationships. In a certain sense, kindness is enlightened self-interest. Other words you are reaping spirituality by being kind all the time to others.