The Greek word for Kindness is Chrestotes, to show kindness or to be friendly to others and often depicted rulers, governors, or people who were kind, mild, and benevolent to their subjects. Anyone who demonstrated this quality of chrestotes was considered to be compassionate, considerate, sympathetic, humane, kind, or gentle.
Kindness does not necessarily mean being nice, one can be kind and not nice. Nice is defined by dictionary.com as being agreeable. In contrast, kindness is acting for the good of people regardless of what they do, properly, "useable, i.e. well-fit for use (for what is really needed); kindness that is also serviceable".
Kindness is doing something and not expecting anything in return. Kindness is respect and helping others without waiting for someone to help one back. It implies kindness no matter what. We should live "in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left".
I try and be kind, but I think I often come off as nice. I think being nice is often looking out for yourself, and not making waves, and, as it says above, being agreeable.
Kindness, on the other hand, is acting for the good of the people, no matter what. You expect nothing in return. Sometimes, there is too much of me and what I want in my actions of trying to be kind. That shouldn't be the case. The fruit of the spirit is all about sharing God's spirit with others. And God's fruit is all about loving others unconditionally, and putting others interests before your own.
Just think if people tried to be kind, instead of just being nice. If people truly looked out for others instead of themselves.
I know I often delude myself. I think I'm being kind, but, if I really examine my heart, my actions were all about me.
Jesus Christ was always kind. But He wasn't always nice. Especially when dealing with the Pharisees and Sadducees, the religious rulers of the day. They kind of ticked Him off. But those who were needing help, He was always kind to them.
I pray to be more kind. To look out for the interest of others instead of myself. To act for the good of people regardless of what they do.
Because when you are truly and genuinely demonstrating kindness, the Bible says, "against such things, there is no law."
1 comment:
Beautifully written. I like to think of myself as kind, but this makes me reexamine myself, and that is a good thing! My intention is to always be kind, my humanity sometimes gets in the way.
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