Earlier
this week I had a day when three people were unexpectedly kind to me.
Unexpected because I did not know them:
· a
doctor was very nice to me when I had to confess I’d given some medicine meant
for my daughter to my son;
· an
Asda worker gave me a lower price on an item because of the deep sigh I gave
when she checked the price and it wasn’t in the sale when I'd hoped it was
· a
Homebase worker sold me a box at a lower price because they didn’t have quite
the one I wanted.
In each
case I was surprised because I didn't expect them to be kind. (Maybe I looked
harassed enough as I tried to keep an eye on where my four year old was while I
waited in the queues.)
God
whispered, "Why are you so surprised by kindness? This is my kindness, I've put it everywhere."
God is
kind. It is his nature. God is love and love is kind.
Kindness
is his fingerprints all over this world. It got me thinking of some verses that
speak of His kindness (many thanks to Biblegateway.com for making it SO easy to
find verses that mention kindness!)
His
kindness is found in the sunrise:
'For he
makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and
on the unjust.' Matt 5:45
His
kindness is found in the seasons that result in the harvests that give us our
necessary food:
‘He has
shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their
seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.’
Acts 14:7
His
kindness is not dependent on my gratitude or performance. Just think about the
Israelites:
‘When
our ancestors were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did
not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red
Sea.’ Psalm 106:7
And when
I think God can’t possibly ‘put up with’ my weakness, failure and sin any longer,
I am reminded of his patience:
‘For
forty years you sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing,
their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet
become swollen.’ Nehemiah 9:21
Despite
their lack of faith, turning to other gods, and repeated stubbornness, God
daily provided their food, water, direction, health and clothing even during those times they were rejecting
Him.
God’s
kindness is found all around me, even in the kindness of those who do not
acknowledge Him.
‘Indeed,
when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law
. . .they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts.’
Romans 2:14-15
Echoes
and glimpses of God's kindness are to be found in the hearts of all men.
God loves
kindness. He loves to show kindness. He cannot stop being kind, because it is
part of his character:
‘but
let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to
know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.’ Jeremiah 9:24
And I
realised, God loves it when we show kindness. It pleases him. It is not a
little thing. It counts. It is important. It is his kingdom coming here on
earth.
Sometimes
I think a little act of kindness can't be 'important'. But when I show
kindness to someone it delights His heart because it's a bit of me being like
my Papa.
I can't
drum up this kindness out of my own sheer effort. It is a fruit of the
Spirit (Gal 5:22) and comes out of abiding in Him (John 15:4-5).
Kindness
hasn't come out of me spending my time measuring up how well (or rubbish) I'm
doing. Rather as my eyes and heart have been opened to God's kindness to me,
then kindness to others has welled up in my heart and just wants to spill out.
I've found myself looking for and delighting in ways to show kindness, feeling
the joy that I'm bringing Papa God pleasure as I do it in response to His kindness
to me.
Thank you
Father for your incredible kindness to me and to every son and daughter on this
planet. Thank you for the joy of joining You in showing your kindness to
others. Amen
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