Love is kind 1 Cor 13:4
It’s amazing that, even though God is the most offended being in the universe, He still remains kind. In fact, there is none as kind as Him, of Whom it is written, “He is kind to the unthankful and to the evil.” (Lk 6:35) Being kind to those that are kind to us is hard enough for many people, but to be kind to those who are unthankful and evil…the human race is not capable of such things, that is, without the Love of God being shed abroad in our heart.
It’s amazing to think about how kind God is. And if you think God as not kind, you are badly mistaken. He is infinitely kind. Throughout history you will see that the gods of the nations were at all times angry and needing to be appeased, but God was always extending kindness, and very slow to anger. He was always looking to and fro throughout the whole earth to see who He could bless.
We can see His kindness from the beginning, when He creates man. He requires very little of the man, just that he would take care of all the bountiful blessings that He created for him. You even see His kindness when man sins against Him, how, instead of flying into a fit of rage, comes down and says, “Adam, where are you?” And you see His kindness as He deals with Cain, the world’s first murderer, when he asks him, “Where is your brother?”
You see God’s kindness and patience as Noah slowly builds the ark. He warns the people of the earth for an extra 100 years as Noah is building the ark, and even leaves plenty of room on the ark for any man who would turn from his evil to come aboard.
He shows His kindness to Abraham, who did nothing but simply believe. God said to Him, “I will greatly bless you and multiply you.”
God showed continued kindness to the people of Isreal, although they were a stubborn people. He visited them in their affliction as slaves in Egypt in order to show them kindness for their father Abraham’s sake. He showed them kindness through the desert even though they were mean and unbelieving. He showed them kindness by bringing them into a fruitful place with houses they did not build, and vineyards they did not plant. A land flowing with milk and honey.
David shows the kindness of God to a lame man named Mephibosheth. This man never did anything for David, nor could he do much if he wanted to, since he was lame in both feet. But David wanted to show him the kindness of God for the sake of his father Jonathan, who was David’s best friend, who had died in battle. David calls for Mephibosheth, who, when he arrives, throws himself at David’s feet. He was afraid since relatives of a former king were almost always killed in those days. But David was’t about to kill him. He wanted to show him the kindness of God. David gave him a bunch of land, ordered that it be worked for him, and made him a place at the kings table, to eat as one of the king’s sons! That’s the kindness of God!
God’s kindness is demonstrated throughout the entire bible, but it is cumulated at the cross of Jesus Christ, where God shows the world how much He loves them. Through the cross God gives all the world the chance to be free of their sin, to live a life of faith, and to be seated at His table of blessings forever.
The kindness of God is known to every true believer, since they experienced it when they gave their life to God. However, there are many believers who fail to demonstrate that same kindness to those that are around them. It’s a shame really, because being kind to others should be so elementary, and so easibly discerned as the will of God, that it should be the first thing practiced by all believers. And maybe it is, but too many believers let it slip. They become high minded and haughty. They think being right is more important than being kind. So they develop a competitive spirit towards their brothers and towards the world, not realizing that we are not called to win against them, but to win them. Being right doesn’t win anyone, but being kind does.
Some people have trouble being kind. It doesn’t seem to come natural to them. But that’s ok. All of us have trouble being kind in the flesh. And no flesh can be kind to those that are unkind and unthankful. But, thank God, we have the love of God poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit that lives inside of us. It’s the same kind of love that God is, and that is described in 1 Cor 13, of which it is said, “Love is kind.” Therefore we have the same capability to be kind to those that are unthankful and evil that God does, leaving us with no excuse.
So with that in mind, we know that we can obey the command to be ‘kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God in Christ has forgiven us.’ Let us do that very thing, knowing that doing so demostrates the great love of God to all the world around us. It’s God’s goodness that leads men to repentance. Let men see God’s goodness through your kindness and you’ll lead many people into the abundant goodness that God has stored up for them.
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Hal Chaffee 