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Is it too hard to ask for a little bit of kindness???
Who likes kindness ?? Kindness itself is a nice sounding word. Yet there is so much more to it’s function than just an expression, feeling, or gesture.
Our English dictionary defines kindness as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.
"he thanked them for their kindness and support"
You know when you lack kindness, or are void of experiencing it. But Have you ever wondered what biblical kindness looks like or is??
Kindness is not a kitten, It’s a lion !!!
Sisera was the head of King Jabins army.. Jabin was the king of Canaan the enemy of Gods people during Deborah’s time in Judges.
In the days of the Judges the Israelites were being intimidated by their enemies because Israel did evil in the eyes of God.
Judges 5:7 NKJV
[7] Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel, Until I, Deborah, arose, Arose a mother in Israel.?
Judges 4:4-7,15 NKJV
[4] Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time. [5] And she would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim. And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. [6] Then she sent and called for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, "Has not the LORD God of Israel commanded, 'Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun; [7] and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand'?" [15] And the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot and fled away on foot.
We are about to witness a most heroic act of kindness. One that biblically defines what kindness is.
Judges 4:17-24 NKJV
[17] However, Sisera had fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. [18] And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, "Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me; do not fear." And when he had turned aside with her into the tent, she covered him with a blanket. [19] Then he said to her, "Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty." So she opened a jug of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him. [20] And he said to her, "Stand at the door of the tent, and if any man comes and inquires of you, and says, 'Is there any man here?' you shall say, 'No.'" [21] Then Jael, Heber's wife, took a tent peg and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple, and it went down into the ground; for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died. [22] And then, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said to him, "Come, I will show you the man whom you seek." And when he went into her tent, there lay Sisera, dead with the peg in his temple. [23] So on that day God subdued Jabin king of Canaan in the presence of the children of Israel. [24] And the hand of the children of Israel grew stronger and stronger against Jabin king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.
Jael was positioned and you could say quite useful on the demise of Israel’s enemies.. What has that to do with kindness ?? Keep on reading you’ll see
Kindness is a fruit of the spirit. When you crush a fruit what comes out???
If you crush an orange apple juice does not come out… if you crush a Christian and cursing comes out, there is something wrong with the fruit.
Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV
[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
The strongs definition of this word
Kindness ; usefulness. From the Greek root word Meaning fit for use
Kindness is a fitness word !!! Oh no 🙈 don’t talk fitness !!!
Thinking your kind will not make you fit just as thinking about going to the gym makes you fit.
What makes you unfit for use ?? what makes you ready and useful ?
2 Timothy 2:14 NKJV
[14] Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.
When you are squeezed Do you have to be right ???
When your squeezed do you have to retaliate??
When your squeezed do you have to defend yourself??
When your squeezed will you be useful for the power of God to flow through you.. ??
Or will you be unfit !!
Striving with words that others around you have to hear. Why not be honest and ask yourself is it useful ??
Proverbs 27:15-16 NKJV
[15] A continual dripping on a very rainy day And a contentious woman are alike; [16] Whoever restrains her restrains the wind, And grasps oil with his right hand.
Proverbs 19:13 NKJV
[13] A foolish son is the ruin of his father, And the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping.
Let’s continue to see what more we can discover about kindness
2Timothy 2:15
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [16] But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. [17] And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, [18] who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. [19] Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity." [20] But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. [21] Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.
You will be fit for use !!! By shunning profane babbling. The problem is, we don’t connect the dots !!! We hang around idle talk, argue, and entertain babbling: empty discussion, discussion of vain and useless matters. Then wonder why kindness doesn’t flow, the biblical kindness of being fit and useful for God to use us.
2Timothy 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. [23] But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. [24] And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, [25] in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, [26] and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
The opposite of kindness is being useless. Being taken captive by the enemy has made the person unfit… is not useful Infact has begun to do the enemies work instead..
What’s the signs of the enemy at work ??
John 10:10 NKJV The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Kindness although a fruit of the spirit when squeezed should produce usefulness.
Have you had a tool or something you went to use for its intended purpose and was useless to perform that tasks?? Like the Getz my husband had me driving for a season of which was a great personal frustration. What about a can opener !!! A hose the dog has chewed !!! A game your brother or sister has broken but haven’t told you so it’s not working the next time you decide to play it.
Kindness is designed to function as a force that makes you useful.
Have you been useful lately?? Just ask your mum dad or husband / wife
Jael found herself in a position of usefulness and by her kindness performed a very heroic act to free the nation of Israel of her intimidating enemies. Her usefulness was the juice from kindness. Jael was squeezed with an event that could’ve gone two ways.. she was a daughter of a household that were friends of Sisera. She was betraying her father, yet if she let Sisera live she would be betraying Deborah her judge.. who was she going to serve ?? Squeezed would more than likely be underestimating the intensity of what Jael faced.
If you’ve not found that usefulness has been something your known for then it’s time to start to cultivate water and make kindness a priority in your life.
God operates in this kind of force
Romans 2:4 NASBS
Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
When the Lord answers pray, when He orchestrates people to come into your life that will benefit you, that’s His kindness.. it shows that God is more than a name, but a very practical help in time of your need.
Romans 11:22 NASBS
[22] Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
Ephesians 2:7 NASBS
[7] so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Knowing now the biblical definition of kindness, and what it looks like, who feels they could brush up on the kindness they have been given by God..
Let’s put away from our hearts all kinds of grudges, bitterness, unforgiving feelings, idle babbling, and being argumentative all of which make us unfit for kindness to function.
Let’s not short circuit kindness with being unfit, and get fit by pursuing a lifestyle of usefulness to the King of Kings and Lord of Lord.
Matthew 25:31-46 NKJV
[31] "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. [32] All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. [33] And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. [34] Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: [35] for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; [36] I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' [37] "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? [38] When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? [39] Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' [40] And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' [41] "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: [42] for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; [43] I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' [44] "Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' [45] Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' [46] And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Colossians 3:12-17 NKJV
[12] Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; [13] bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. [14] But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. [15] And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. [16] Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. [17] And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Thank you for reading, please leave a comment to how this article help you.