The Fruit of the Spirit of KINDNESS Galatians 5:22
Sermon link: https://subspla.sh/rjf4nc (there’s also a link to some Application Questions to dig deeper and help practically apply the sermon to our daily lives for His glory, our growth and others’ good!)
What a great sermon this was! I was so encouraged, spurred on and convicted by it all at the same time! Most people that know me probably would say I was a kind person, but I was reminded that my kindness can’t just be skin-deep, it has to go to the core of who I am, not just my words and actions but the core or heart of my thoughts & motives behind them need to be kind. That’s what He cares about and that’s where He resides- in my heart! Maybe I could fool everyone else around me who see the nice curb-appeal of my “house” but I can shut the windows and draw the blinds so they can’t see inside, the contents of my heart.
1. Study God’s Holy Kindness
2. Purpose/resolve to go the extra mile
3. Fight Temptations to be unkind
4. Never see kindness as Extra Credit
He clarified that kindness does not equate niceness. Sometimes the kindest thing someone can do for you feels unkind! Like if someone abruptly and forcefully pushes you😱...out of the way of eminent danger to safety 🥰. God is the same as He administers both His righteous justice & unmerited, undeserved, too oft unappreciated grace, mercy and kindness!
Be kind to others to honor the King, Heavenly Father & Creator of all!
“do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.” Romans 2:4-5
“I will betrothed you to Me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and mercy (aka kindness)” Hosea 2:19
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8
“A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.” Proverbs 11:17
When the boys were little, one of my favorite things was snuggling all together in their bunk bed and reading. And one of my favorite books we read was “My ABC Bible Verses: Hiding God’s Word in Little ❤️s” by Susan Hunt. The very first verse, the “A” verse is Proverbs 15:1” A kind answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger.” How timelessly true & beautiful that is! How we can diffuse the harshest anger, soften the hardest heart simply with a genuinely kind word!
When we were visiting my sister’s family on their horse ranch in Castle Pines this summer, we got to be a part of “Barn Church” one Sunday. With all the “Rona” restrictions and churches shut down, their family started hosting their small group (&it’s grown from there!) Sunday mornings to watch the sermon together virtually in their (beautiful, brand-new, bathroom-included) barn...fun face-time fellowship and feeding of the flock🐴 (pun intended😄). That week their pastor taught on kindness as well. Here are a few nuggets I gleaned....
-Kindness counts! “I will treat you as valuable bc you are loved by God, you bear His image I will treat you someone Jesus died for...because He did.”
People may not deserve the extra grace they require...neither do I! In a world full of outrage & offense, kindness is kryptonite. Don’t underestimate its power!
Kindness is more about my character (reflecting my Heavenly Father’s) than their conduct when I choose to act according to His rather than react to theirs.
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