How to Walk in the Spirit of Kindness
Psalm 37:3
Introduction.
“You attract more flies with honey than with vinegar.”
I always found this an odd phrase, but it is appropriate for this lesson today on kindness.
Kindness is the next characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness.
Definition.
The Greek word for kindness is χρηστότης.
Thayer defines it as: “moral goodness, integrity; benignity, kindness.”
I look at that definition and I think… oh that’s nice, but not much else.
So how can we get a whole sermon on kindness?
Let’s consider.
Preview.
God’s Kindness.
Our Kindness.
Kindness vs. goodness.
Trench treats these as synonyms, but there are some distinctions we will make between them, particularly to separate it from next week’s sermon.
Often, the word is translated as “goodness,” particularly in the LXX.
The only place is the LXX this is used is in Psalms, so we will consider those passages as well as the handful of times it’s used in the NT—exclusively by Paul.
So keep in mind, when we see “good” or “goodness” in these coming passages, we could understand it as “kind.”
Body.
God’s Kindness.
Overall kindness.
To righteous kings (Psa. 21:3).
For You meet him with the blessings of goodness (kindness); You set a crown of pure gold upon his head.
Long life.
Honor and majesty.
Made him glad in His presence.
To the poor (Psa. 68:9-10).
You, O God, sent a plentiful rain, whereby You confirmed Your inheritance, when it was weary. Your congregation dwelt in it; You, O God, provided from Your goodness (kindness) to the poor.
He provides for all of our necessities.
Consider Jesus’ comforting words in Matt. 6 – our necessities will be taken care of.
We don’t need to worry about what we will eat or wear.
To those who fear God (Psa. 31:19).
Oh, how great is Your goodness (kindness), which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men!
While God takes care of our necessities, this is especially true of those who seek first the kingdom of God (Matt. 6:33).
As David also wrote: “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lends; and his descendants are blessed” (Psa. 37:25-26).
That doesn’t mean we don’t need help every now and then, but it does mean we are taken care of!
Material kindness.
Food and harvest (Psa. 85:12; 65:11-13; 104:27-28).
Yes, the Lord will give what is good (kind); and our land will yield its increase.
You crown the year with Your goodness (kindness), and Your paths drip with abundance. They drop on the pastures of the wilderness, and the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered with grain; they shout for joy, they also sing.
These all wait for You, that You may give them their food in due season. What You give them they gather in; You open Your hand, they are filled with good (kindness).
Praise His goodness (Psa. 145:7).
One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works. Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, and I will declare Your greatness. They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness (kindness), and shall sing of Your righteousness.
Spiritual kindness.
His law (Psa. 119:68).
You are good, and do good; teach me Your statutes.
Grace and mercy (Eph. 2:7; Titus 3:4-5).
That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.
Leads to repentance (Rom. 2:4).
Or do you despise the riches of His goodness (kindness), forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness (kindness) of God leads you to repentance?
Forgiveness of sins (Psa. 25:7).
Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; according to Your mercy remember me, for Your goodness’ (kindness’) sake, O Lord.
Our kindness.
None does good (Psa. 14:1-3; Rom. 3:10-12).
There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good (kindness), no, not one.
Yet some forget the poetic, often hyperbolic nature of the Psalms. While all have sinned, some do good (Psa. 106:4-5).
Remember me, O Lord, with the favor You have toward Your people. Oh, visit me with Your salvation, that I may see the benefit (kindness) of Your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with Your inheritance.
Of ministers (2 Cor. 6:6).
Translated as “sweetness” here in the KJV.
Ever know anyone who you would describe as sweet?
Command to all (Col. 3:12; Gal. 5:22; Psa. 37:3).
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering.
Trust in the Lord, and do good (kindness); dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Naturally, since this is the fruit of the Spirit, we cannot be engaged in the works of the flesh: hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, dissensions, envy, murder.
No, we will be kind to one another, so kind in fact, that it makes people sick with the sweetness we exude.
In fact, one of the evidences for Christ’s existence is the hostile testimony of Suetonius: “He expelled from Rome the Jews constantly making disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus.”
People wonder, because of the spelling, whether that is Christ or someone named Chrestus, but we know of no Jew that was named Chrestus except for one who was a pagan.
This is a reference to Christ—but it could be that it wasn’t misspelled.
People would mock the Christians for it. As Trench writes, “This χρηστότης was so predominantly the character of Christ’s ministry, that it is nothing wonderful to learn from Tertullian, how ‘Christus’ became ‘Chrestus,’ and ‘Christiani’ ‘Chrestiani’ on the lips of the heathen—with that undertone, it is true, of contempt, which the world feels, and soon learns to express in words, for a goodness which to it seems to have only the harmlessness of the dove, and nothing of the wisdom of the serpent.”
The early Christians were so kind, that they were basically called “goody two-shoes.”
They were so kind, sweet, harmless, loving, and helpful.
Let’s be more like that. As Jesus says, “Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matt. 10:16).
That doesn’t preclude punishment or harsh words that are necessary—but you attract more flies with honey than with vinegar.
Conclusion.
God’s kindness is so great, and it is a kindness we must reflect.
God’s kindness, however, is not without limitation or condition (Rom. 11:22).
Therefore consider the goodness (kindness) and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness (kindness), if you continue in His goodness (kindness). Otherwise you also will be cut off.
Let us continue in His goodness, His kindness, this morning.
But we have to start in His goodness first.
We do that by fearing God (Psa. 31:19).
To receive in His spiritual kindness, mercy and grace, let us obey the gospel!