The Fruit of Kindness by Sharon Heagy

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,

goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control." Galatians 5:22-23

Though I hate to admit it, there are many days when I am not kind. When I let my impatience and irritation get the best of me. Those days I am snarky and snappy and crabby. Often I don't even know why I am reacting like an unruly child, or overreacting to, well, everything. There is just a sense of restlessness, an air of prickliness, a profound crankiness. Everywhere I go I feel like I am accompanied by the music played in Bugs Bunny when the bad guy appears. Bomp bomp, bomp bomp, bomp bomp, bomp bomp. These are also days when remorse rears its head and I weep for the people who have been on the receiving end of my grumpy attitude as I overthink how my obnoxious behaviour has affected them. Believing they will never forgive me when in reality most of them weren't even bothered and carried on with their day as if nothing ever happened. "Good grief, Charlie Brown!"

Then there are other days, when I look beyond myself and am able to extend some sort of small kindness to others or to receive a blessing from a gentle person. Most of us find the latter harder than the giving but the need to be gracious is imperative for both. In our community, meals and flowers are exchanged when someone has passed away or is ill. If there is work to be done, people come together in a work bee to lift one more burden from the back of one who is suffering. Fundraisers abound to help those with financial stresses in times of need. Yet the compassionate acts that are unexpected, those that come or go at just the right time, are tender gifts best loved. And if they are done in anonymity, all the better. They get our warm fuzzies going and produce a bursting grateful heart overflowing with love.

But is that what kindness is all about? Is it just about being good to one another? A feel-good action and then we are on our merry way? The questions bounced around my brain and I sought to find the answer.

In the verse from Galatians 5:22-23, kindness is mentioned as one fruit the Spirit provides. The Greek word for kind is chrestotes (khary-stot-ace). The meaning of the word does confirm the importance of benevolent actions to another but its meaning holds so much more. It is a way of being. There is a purity about it that also includes having a tender and gentle disposition. It is a matter of character and attitude even to people we'd rather not deal with or with those who would rather not deal with us. How easy it is to be kind and giving to those who love us, yet more difficult to allow others to give us a slap on the cheek and turn and offer the other. (Matthew 5:39) Kindness is not an inherent natural quality. It is a gift from God given by the power of His Spirit.

The greatest kindness I have ever received is truth given in love. When my steps become wayward and confusion bars the path, there are those who love me enough and will, in His loving kindness, help to clear the way and set me straight on the road home once more. It doesn't always feel like kindness in the beginning, but I am grateful for those who persevere and for a God who confirms the truth. It isn't always easy to share the truth either but it's priceless to those who will receive it. A parcel to unpack along one's faith journey.

The ultimate kindness for me was to be introduced to Jesus. To learn of His grace, mercy and forgiveness. To learn of the price He paid for my debt. He loves even me, just the way I am. He loves even you, just the way you are. On Sunday, we will celebrate the resurrection power that saved all humanity if only we would ask and believe. Perhaps an opportunity will be opened for us to share that ultimate kindness with a fellow faith traveller, to share the Saviour Himself. 

May each of us be transformed by God into a person of continual kindness and may your Easter season be blessed.

Sharon Heagy writes from the little town of Rockglen, which is nestled in the hills of southern Saskatchewan. Her kids have flown the coop so she and her husband have retired to town. She writes to inspire and give hope with a chuckle or two along the way.

"Good grief, Charlie Brown!" - Charles M. Schultz

Bumping Into God's Kindness by Brenda Leyland

"The kindness of God leads us to repentance."

Romans 2:4

It took me a long time to come to a place where I believed that God was kind. And that he would be kind to me. Many of the sermons I'd heard growing up seemed to focus on our sins, which led me to the mistaken belief that he was ever ready to punish us for our mistakes, and for some reason I imagined a big baseball bat at his side. It took me years to truly trust that He so loved the world. That Jesus had taken care of the sin issue for every situation. And that he is good, perfect, and kindhearted towards his created beings, including me.

I will never forget the day, one Sunday morning more than 40 years ago, when a guest speaker at church spoke about Peter's denial of Jesus before the crucifixion. And this speaker told us he imagined Jesus looking across the courtyard at Peter, his eyes filled with kindness rather than anger, rejection, or disgust. At the speaker's encouragement, I hid that image in my own heart and went home a changed person. Whenever I thought I'd blown it, I'd imagine Jesus looking at me the way He looked at Peter centuries earlier. And I'd whisper to myself, He looks at me with love and forgiveness in his eyes. Instead of feeling shame and his wrath, I felt his lovingkindness and forgiveness.

Fast forward to another day several years later, I was sitting under the ministry of another good preacher who was encouraging his listeners to quit beating themselves up when they missed the mark, and instead of running away from God, run to him. I took those words to heart and have been running to him ever since. Confirming once again that, no matter what I mess up, he will welcome me and be kind in his dealings with me. No baseball bats in sight. He often uses humour to show me a mirror of myself in various situations which somehow makes it easier to admit the error of my way. Bringing me to my senses without shame or guilt.

Then I bumped into the line in Romans 2:4 confirming what I'd been discovering about God's kindness. It's true what that verse says, how the kindness of God leads people to repentance. Imagining his displeasure or anger had never drawn me to himself, nor did it positively influence me to want to change my ways. When I thought he'd be mad or angry at me for failing, it made me want to hide, as Adam once hid. But it's his kindness, his forbearance and patience that drew me, and ever draws me towards himself.

I must tell you about the kindness I experienced when my best beloved Miss Kitty was seriously ill. She wasn't getting better, and I worried about her, asking the Lord to help me. There I was sitting at a concert listening to beautiful music, still very much aware of the sorrow I felt, when I had a picture come into my mind. I saw Jesus holding Kitty in the palms of his hands and tenderly looking at her. And I also had the sense that Kitty knew she was safe with him. I was so comforted in that moment. He had reached out to me with such kindness about my sweet kitty. I have never forgotten it. (Kitty left us the day William and Catherine wed.)

And now there is the beautiful line I have been living with ever since Lorrie Orr shared it in her post last week (click here if you missed it). It was a line she heard a pastor say: 'God is the kindest person you will ever meet.' I could have wept with joy in those words. Because from my own experience I know that to be true. My heart responds to his kindness; it expands with love for him because of it.

And my response to God's kindness is that I yearn to return the favour. To be like him and reach out to others in kindness. In our upside-down-tilted-sideways world that's fraught with hard, unkind things, more than ever we need this fruit of the spirit growing in our hearts. As it falls like ripe fruit into the lives of others, hopefully they, too, will experience the exquisite bumping into his lovingkindness.

There's a quote that goes around on social media, 'In a world where you can be anything, be kind.' I say, yes, yes, by his grace, that is what I choose.

Photo credit: (Top) Image by Chil Vera from Pixabay

Inspired by the beauty of God's world around her, Brenda loves shaping words into beautiful thoughts for good. Her sweet spot 'place' for writing happens to be on her blog It's A Beautiful Life.