Have you considered the power of kindness as you interact with others? My mother had numerous brief teachings that were just one sentence long and several were on kindness. She used to say, “you get a lot farther with honey than vinegar.”
Kindness is like honey in the world in which we live. Another teaching she had on kindness was, “You can never go wrong by being kind to someone.” The importance of kindness and its effects on others is taught continually through the Bible. When something is taught over and over again it is God’s way of telling you how important this is.
Elisha Shows the Importance of Being Kind
The Lord spiritually blinded the army of the King of Aram which allowed the Prophet Elisha to lead them into captivity. When Elisha brought the Aramean army to the king, the king asked if he should kill the army. The kindness of Elisha is reveled in his answer.
2 Kings 2: 22 “Of course not!” Elisha replied. “Do we kill prisoners of war? Give them food and drink and send them home again to their master.” 23 So the king made a great feast for them and then sent them home to their master. After that, the Aramean raiders stayed away from the land of Israel. [1] This resulted in peace without bloodshed.
The Lord is Kind to Us
Jesus is the model of kindness because there is no one who has been kinder to us then our Lord. Jesus paid the price on the cross for our sins and now calls us to follow Him. Our Lord is so kind to us that He seeks out lost sheep. At one time in our lives, we were like lost sheep.
Think of time when the Shepherd rescued you. What was it like to be led back by the Shepherd and given a restart? Wow! That is amazing kindness. That is the kindness the Lord wants you to share with others.
The Lord Calls Us to Grow in Kindness
Galatians 5:22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! [2]
Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit which means it is a result of our relationship with the Lord Jesus. Studies indicate the best way to reach people with the Good News of Jesus is to be kind. When we are kind to others it opens the doors for deeper conversations. The world we live in is not a truly kind place, and when people are kind others take notice. Kindness prepares the way as we pray for opportunities to share the good news of Jesus.
To hear more about the power of kindness, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/god-has-more-for-elisha-and-the-arameans
[1,2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.