40 Days Pondering the Fruit of the Spirit
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days PONDERING the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
Day 6 | KINDNESS
40 Days PONDERING the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
Day 6 | KINDNESS
KINDNESS
Galatians 5:22-23
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (NLT)
It’s worth noticing that verse 22 says that the Holy Spirit produces this kind of FRUIT (not FRUITS) in our lives. The indwelling Holy Spirit brings FRUIT which should characterize ALL who have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It’s also worth noting that these nine characteristics are tied together.
Kindness – “chrestotes” in Greek – means uprightness and gentleness. It is a concern for others and a desire to show concern and tenderness.
We appear to be living in a time when this quality is being seen less and less. For example, people driving erratically on the highway (such as running red lights) are NOT acting in a kind, concerned way towards others.
In 1982 in Sausalito, California, a lady wrote “Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty” on a placemat. It caught on and appeared on bumper stickers, and in February 1993, articles about this were carried nationwide. For a time, people discovered and enjoyed being “kind” to each other instead of being totally self-centered.
For Followers of Jesus, this was nothing new, as Jesus Himself performed “acts of kindness” as He ministered to people.
Consider Matthew 8:1-4: “When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean,’ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing.’ he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, ‘See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’”
As followers of Jesus, we must act in kindness as we live our lives.
Prayer: LORD, open my eyes to people around me who could use a little kindness from me. Amen.
Galatians 5:22-23
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (NLT)
It’s worth noticing that verse 22 says that the Holy Spirit produces this kind of FRUIT (not FRUITS) in our lives. The indwelling Holy Spirit brings FRUIT which should characterize ALL who have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It’s also worth noting that these nine characteristics are tied together.
Kindness – “chrestotes” in Greek – means uprightness and gentleness. It is a concern for others and a desire to show concern and tenderness.
We appear to be living in a time when this quality is being seen less and less. For example, people driving erratically on the highway (such as running red lights) are NOT acting in a kind, concerned way towards others.
In 1982 in Sausalito, California, a lady wrote “Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty” on a placemat. It caught on and appeared on bumper stickers, and in February 1993, articles about this were carried nationwide. For a time, people discovered and enjoyed being “kind” to each other instead of being totally self-centered.
For Followers of Jesus, this was nothing new, as Jesus Himself performed “acts of kindness” as He ministered to people.
Consider Matthew 8:1-4: “When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean,’ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing.’ he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, ‘See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’”
As followers of Jesus, we must act in kindness as we live our lives.
Prayer: LORD, open my eyes to people around me who could use a little kindness from me. Amen.