What is kindness?

A casual search through the internet will yield over a hundred million entries. The answers range from the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate (Google) to a behavior marked by ethical characteristics, a pleasant disposition, and a concern for others (Wikipedia). These are all good definitions but the answers seem to be descriptive rather than illustrative.

 

Even a search on the word in the Bible will reveal several dozen verses, depending upon the Bible translation. All very meaningful and beautiful but ultimately unsatisfying in my quest for an answer. I searched Bible dictionaries and scholarly articles, but for such a seemingly simple word, the interpretation was muddled, dense with theological overtones. I was desperately seeking a lucid definition and unexpectedly, my son provided the clarity. When asked the same question by his teacher, he quickly replied, “The Lord our Savior!”

 

But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,

“‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?”

Matthew 21:15-16 (ESV)

 

Is it any wonder that Jesus Christ praises the unadulterated and unabashed faith of children? Jesus admonishes us that our faith needs to be like that of children before we can enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:3). Bible dictionaries, books on theology, commentaries…all of these are very important to help us understand the riches and depth of God’s Word. But it is the pure and simple faith of a child that God truly desires to understand the true meaning of kindness.

 

It is only found by confessing and repenting of our sins and accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He is the meaning of kindness.

 

Amen!

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.