“When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us...” (Tit.3:4). “The kindness of God leads you to repentance…” (Rom.2:4). “Clothe yourselves with… kindness” (Col.3:12). “The fruit of the Spirit is… kindness” (Gal.5:22). “Show kindness and mercy to one another” (Zech.7:9). “Love kindness…” (Mic.6:8).
Lord Jesus, this may be my favorite “6-pack”—6 Scriptures sharing one thing in common—the power, beauty, and importance of your kindness. We are never more like you than when we have kindness in our hearts and on our tongues.
In our most irritation-fueling moments, conflict-laden situations, and grace-needy relationships, there is always a kinder way forward. No one can make us snarky, mean, and spiteful. Those are choices we make, just like the choice to be filled and controlled by your Holy Spirit.
We’ve never expressed with alarm to anyone, “You make me so gentle!” So when did we learn it’s okay to say to each other, “You make me so mad”? Circumstances certainly explain why it’s easy to react with unkindness, but no circumstances excuse intentional, malicious, unchecked unkindness. Help and free us, Jesus. You are firm and show us “severe mercy” at times; but you are never unkind or harsh with us. Thank you.
On this June Tuesday, whatever attire we’re donning for the day, we remain under-dressed until we clothe ourselves with your kindness (Col. 3:12). Not the external kindness of “southern niceness” but the revolutionary kindness our Father gives to “the ungrateful and wicked” (Luke 6:35)—the epiphany-like kindness we experienced the day you saved us (Tit.3:4). All day and weeklong, help us think, feel, speak, and act with the kindness that first led us to you, Jesus. and remains one of the Spirit’s sumptuous, always-in-season fruits. So Very Amen.
