King Saul had died, and David had taken over. Usually in those ancient times, when one king took over after another, it was not uncommon for him to seek out and destroy all the descendants of the previous king. This was not the case for King David.
In II Samuel 4:4, we find that Saul had a grandson named Mephibosheth who was crippled.
2 Samuel 4:4 KJV 4 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.
David restored unto him all the land of Saul. On top of that, because of his disabled condition, David insisted that Mephibosheth eat at the king’s table for the rest of his life. David illustrated kindness.
The dictionary defines kindness as affectionate, loving of a sympathetic nature, gentle, agreeable, benevolent, charitable, humanitarian, openhearted.
As a person reflects the spirit of Christ, these things show up in his life.
Isaiah wrote this in Isaiah 50:4:
Isaiah 50:4 KJV 4 The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
Mature Christian kindness is a gift from God. Can you imagine what this 19
world would be like if just those who are saved would demonstrate kindness to their fellow man?
Every child of God is to wear kindness at all times. Paul admonished the church at Colossae when he penned these words.
Colossians 3:12 KJV 12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Yes, I know, there are many more mentioned than just kindness. The point is kindness is but one of the things the mature Christian is to have. It is a gift from God. God has the kindness ready to give to each saint, but the saint has to put it on.
The Kind Christian is Charitable
Jesus told a parable recorded in Luke 10:30-34, about a man who was kind and charitable.
Luke 10:30-34 KJV 30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
The good Samaritan gave freely of himself, his money and his time. The present-day word “Charity” has the words “Christian love” as its origin. Thus, Jesus told of a man who had love for his neighbor, even though he did not know the man whom he was helping.
So, kindness means that God’s child will give of himself and his means to show Christian love to a needy person whom he might not even know. This is a great means to get to know people and to share the gospel with them.
The kind believer realizes that it is more blessed to give than to receive. An immature, selfish child of God does not accept this. He thinks that it is all right to give as long as he is going to receive something in return. God will restore more than a person gives if the giver’s motives are pure.
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The kind heart looks upon the mission field; his charity is seen as he cheerfully gives to see the lost receive the gospel of Christ. As we have noticed previously, the child of God is debtor to the lost world, but that debt will only be paid as we have the love of Christ in us. The charitable Christian gives even if no one knows about it. He will give if the gift is not deductible.
His giving is from conviction by the Holy Spirit and does not vary as his moods may. However, his giving goes far beyond money. He puts himself into helping those who are in need.
The outstanding feature of the charity of Christ was not His giving of money, because His life included little of it. Christ was noted for His kind words of comfort and His kind actions. Truly, He gave of Himself, leaving the example for all of His own to follow.
The Kind Christian is Friendly
Since God has given His children affection and love, He desires for them to share it with others, and this cannot be done unless they are friendly.
Friendliness is vital to a Christian’s witness for the Lord. Mature Christians realize that they are more able to win friends to the Lord than people whom they do not know. Being a lost person’s friend does not mean partaking of things which are ungodly. It does mean associating with them in areas where it is possible.
Jesus was accused of being a friend of sinners in Matthew 11:19.
Matthew 11:19 KJV 19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
The accusation was true. Jesus is the greatest friend lost sinners have because He is able to save them from hell. One classic example of His befriending sinners is the woman at the well.
John 4:4-26 KJV 4 And he must needs go through Samaria. 5
Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. 7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. 8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) 9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, 21
being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? 12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. 16
Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: 18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that 22adist thou truly. 19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 21
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
Some lessons can be learned about witnessing from Jesus’ friendships. One such lesson is that no one is outside the limits of Jesus’ friendship. Tax Collectors and harlots, kings and servants, religious people and heathens, He was kind to them all. He offers eternal life to all.
Another lesson that can be learned from the Lord’s friendship with the lost is that He took advantage of opportunities to speak with them about their lost condition. He ate with sinners in order to reach them and win them to Himself. He drank water with the woman at the well so that she might receive Him and tell others also.
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God would have His people to be genuine friends not “fair weather” friends.
Some are friends when it benefits them and cannot be found when the other person is in need. In II Timothy 4:16, Paul spoke of a time when all of his friends forsook him.
2 Timothy 4:16 KJV 16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
It was a risky business to be Paul’s friend, but true friends remain even when it costs them. So, mature Christian kindness is seen in friendly Christians.
God’s people are to imitate the kindness of Jesus which He demonstrated while here on earth.
The Kind Christian is Sympathetic
Sympathy is a relationship between people that makes it possible for one to be affected by what affects the other. Here is what Paul wrote in romans 12:15:
Romans 12:15 KJV 15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
The sympathetic Christian is willing to “feel” with the other person. This Christian sympathy that comes from the kind child of God makes it possible for him to comfort those who are experiencing hardships in their lives.
Joseph was able to comfort his brothers although they had been very cruel to him. Job was also known for his sympathetic comforting.
The kindness spoken of is more than simply running by someone’s home who has just lost a loved one and quoting Scriptures. Godly sympathy prays with them if they so desire, listens to them, waits with them, cries with them, or maybe, even leaves them alone if that is what they want. There is a genuine need for sympathetic believers today.
It may be that tragedy has become too commonplace. It may be that we have become hardened to the tragedies that happen all around us seemingly all of the time. God desires that all saved people to be good to everyone.
Mature Christians will be.
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How do people around you view you concerning kindness? Are you able to witness to people because of your kindness? How do you measure up with the Lord’s standard?
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