The Fruit of the Spirit (Kindness)

April 4, 2023

The Fruit of the Spirit (Kindness)

What is biblical kindness?

In order to understand the fruit of the Spirit, let’s take a look at the verses of Scripture found in the New Testament. The Apostle Paul breaks it down in Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” The Holy Spirit produces these characteristics in you when you allow Him to transform and renew your heart and mind, Romans 12:2. Let’s take a closer look at the fruit called kindness.

The word kindness used in these passages of Scripture is the Greek word chrēstotēs which means moral goodness or integrity. It pertains to a person that is dependable, loyal, honest, and respectful. How can a person develop these kinds of traits? The only way that a person can genuinely change the way they think, speak, and act is through the power of the Holy Spirit. He is the One that will help you establish this fruit that the Lord calls kindness.

In other words it is the type of true kindness where a person treats others as they would want to be treated. It is about carrying yourself with level of integrity or truthfulness in every situation. A person that radiates this particular characteristic will have a heart of compassion for the needs of others regardless of who they are without being judgmental.

As followers of Christ we have to make sure that we are setting an example of what it really looks like to be a Christian daily. Picture this scenario: you are driving down the road going the speed limit and out of nowhere someone cuts you off and then stares you down as if you did something wrong. As they speed ahead of you, you happen to look down at the bumper and see a bumper sticker that says “Jesus is Lord.”

How confused would you be? That is how people view Christians that say that they are believers of Jesus Christ but don’t act like it. Understanding and learning the fruit of the Holy Spirit will help you exude the characteristics that our Heavenly Father expects us to demonstrate.

The best way to allow the Lord to completely change your frame of mind is if you get into His Word and apply it to your daily life. God’s Spirit will help shape and mold you into the image of God. It can be a difficult process because there are some people in this World that will make it challenging for you to remain kind, but with God’s help it can be done.

I have some articles that give you an idea on how to handle people that make it difficult to show them compassion: Forgiveness-appreciate your enemies and How to embrace your enemies.

I am going to go list some Scriptures pertaining to kindness that you can meditate on.

Luke 6:27-31

“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.”

There is a lot that we can gain from these passages of Scripture regarding the great kindness that the Lord expects us to give to others. A kind person is one that is able to look past someone else’s negative attitude and radiate love towards them anyway. One of the most challenging that you will face is being nice to someone that is completely hateful to you. Our flesh wants to retaliate with the same treatment that they are showing, but God’s Word is saying for us to do otherwise.

Luke is stating in these passages out of the Bible that we are to love our enemies and pray for those that vindictively use you. The last verse of Scripture that I am highlighting states, “…And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.” That is exactly the point that God is trying to get across to us when it comes to the fruit of the Spirit, kindness.

In order for you to show genuine compassion, you have to be willing to put yourself in that person’s shoes. There is a reason why people act the way that they do. The fact is that nobody knows a person’s story other than that person and God. Choose to use kind words over hateful ones and a gentle answer rather than a cruel one.

Unfortunately that can be easier said than done because there are people that will take you to that negative place. Allowing the Holy Spirit to be your guide will really make a significant difference in how you respond to others. There has to be a renewing of your mind, Romans 12:2. Start by understanding God’s fruit listed in the book of Galatians. It will give you individual traits that you should strive for as a believer of Jesus Christ.

One of the reasons why it is so vital that you display gentleness versus hatred is because whether you realize it or not there is always someone looking at you. They want to see how you conduct yourself under every circumstance because remember you said that you are a Christian. So they will challenge your character just waiting to see how you will react. Respond by showing them the love of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 6:7

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”

One of the things that we often underestimate is the law of reaping and sowing. Whether it comes to your finances, your behavior, or how you treat others; the fact is that you will reap what you sow. That is why it is vital to strive to have the heart and mind of Christ. It will keep you from wanting to treat others with the same kind of anger or disrespect that they might be treating you with.

We often find this the most difficult when it comes to a family member, why? The reason why it is more challenging to show kindness towards family when they are mistreating you is because it is personal. Negative words and cruel behavior hurt more when it comes from the people that we love.

The Lord is very clear in the Bible verse I’m referencing out of the book of Galatians; you will get back what you give. Make it a daily habit to get into the Word of God and allow it to change the way that you think about things. That way you won’t let another person’s negative actions have an adverse effect on you. The Holy Spirit is the One that will help you keep your flesh under control.

One way that I knew that I was spiritually maturing in this area is that I would find myself not getting as easily offended as I used to. I had to get to the point in my life as a Christian where I said either I am going to live by the Word of God or I’m not. What that meant for me was that I was going to try to the very best of my ability to display the kindness of God at all times no matter what.

Of course I was challenged on more than one occasion and I will still have tests in this area. It really is about the willingness to want to change and truly want to live a life devoted to Jesus Christ. My relationship with the Lord became too important to let a family member, the cashier at the grocery store, the co-worker with a bad attitude, or anything else get in the way of my connection with the Him.

God wants to have an intimate relationship with every single one of us and that is why He gave us His Spirit to live on the inside of us to help us develop the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Consistent negative and adverse emotions can drive a wedge between you and the Lord and He wants to prevent that from happening. The question is: is your relationship with the Lord worth it to you? If it is, you are going to have to mindful of the attitude and demeanor that you display in your daily life.

Luke 6:35-36

“But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.”

Here we can see what happens when you choose to be a fruit bearing vessel, deciding to love your enemies despite how they treat you. This Scripture written by Luke is revealing to us exactly what occurs when we walk being led by the Holy Spirit instead of walking in our flesh. God is clear that there will be a great reward and you will be considered to be a son or daughter of God.

The reason why this is significant is because the Lord expects us to display the goodness of God to others by shining His light. You can’t do that if you are consistently negative. People won’t even know that you are a Christian because of your adverse behavior. You can never forget the fact that you are a walking testimony to everyone that is around you. The last thing that you want to ever do is to ruin your witness for Jesus Christ.

Another part in these passages that I wanted to highlight was when Luke states, “…For He is kind to the unthankful and evil …” the He mentioned here is pertaining to the Lord. Over and over again we can see throughout Scripture where the Lord is kind to those that didn’t deserve His kindness. Up until the very end of His life He exemplified what it meant to be compassionate. He expects us to do the same.

So what happens when we consistently strive to exhibit the characteristics of Jesus Christ? The verse of Scripture in Luke 6:35 tells us exactly what the result is: “…your reward will be great…” The Greek word used for great is polys which means many, much, and large and the Greek word used for reward is misthos which means rewards which God bestows upon good deeds and endeavors.

The Lord is making it known to us that if we have the ability to treat others the way that we want to be treated, He will reward you significantly. This is not just a statement but a Biblical law that the Lord has established for Christians that abide by it. Always remember that God is not concerned with your outward appearance but He is deeply concerned with the condition of you heart, 1 Samuel 16:7.

Conclusion

When you think about what it means to be kind you can’t help but to think about the kindness and goodness of God. He expects His children to be the example of kindness to the rest of the World that may not understand what it means to be tenderhearted. We are vessels used by the Lord to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and to emit His amazing love.

The people around you should be able to discern that you are a believer simply by the way that you act, speak, and carry yourself. We are supposed to be set apart called out of darkness into God’s marvelous light, 1 Peter 2:9. What that means is that now we have the responsibility to be the light for those that are still in darkness.

In order for you to be the salt and the light of the World you have to be mindful of how you treat those around you. If you are allowing the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you, it is inevitable that you will begin to produce the fruit of His Spirit inside your heart. One of the most important characteristics that the Lord is adamant about us displaying is kindness.

Also, don’t forget to check out my other blogs:

The Fruit of the Spirit (Longsuffering)

The Fruit of the Spirit (Peace)

The Fruit of the Spirit (Joy)

The Fruit of the Spirit (Love)

Overcoming the Spirit of Fear-Part 1

Overcoming the Spirit of Fear-Part 2

Power of Prayer (The Family Unit and Intercessory Prayer)

Power of Prayer (Praying in Your Heavenly Language)

Power of Prayer (Principles of Prayer)

Power of Prayer (Praying the Scriptures)

The Spiritual Laws of God-Poverty Part 1