What Does The Bible Say About Being Kind

A bible with the word kind ness

I know I’ve laid in bed and told myself I’m going to be kind to my family, today. But I barley walk to the coffee maker before my husband’s says something unkind to me rushing out the door, no kiss goodbye today. Next, I attempt conversing with my child, only to be cut off by that infamous teenage snub. And that’s when I notice half-eaten apples rotting in their room along with open snack bags going stale. Anger is rising in my throat, I’m fighting the unkind words from flying out from my lips. I force myself not to say anything. Since I don’t want to hear those awful words aren’t Christians supposed be kind. But what does the Bible say about being kind because there’s a fine line between being kind and being a push over.

What Does the Bible Say About being Kind?

In the Bible, kindness is listed as a fruit of the Spirit. The total list of the fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I find it interesting, kindness follows patience because when I’m impatient, unkindness seems to follow. But the good news is, once you’ve in Christ, you have access to these low hanging fruits. Unfortunately, it’s a battle between walking in the love and kindness and not being filled with angry bursts of unkind words.

I think the most beautiful Bible verse about being kind is the following scripture,

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Ouch. This verse always shakes the unkindness right out of me. And helps me realizes the minor infractions my family is NOTHING compared to what God has forgiven me now and for all eternity. All because Jesus died in my place.

What does Jesus say about kindness in the Bible?

“But I tell everyone who is listening: Love your enemies. Be kind to those who hate you.”

Then Jesus advises us what to do in difficult situations. If someone takes your clothes, give him your coat as well. If someone forces you to walk one mile, go an extra mile. Give to people who beg and don’t say no to those who want to borrow from you. (Matthew 5:40) I confess of adverting my eyes from the homeless people begging on the street corners.

Jesus’ actions backed up His own words, He’s kind to lepers, the adulterous woman, thieves, tax collectors, children and other deemed as outcast during that time. Throughout the crucifixion, people spit, unjustly accused, and mocked Him. Jesus didn’t even open his mouth once to defend Himself. When the Roman soldiers gambled for His cloak, Jesus asked His Father to forgive them because they don’t know what they are doing. Even the crucifixion guards concluded that surely Jesus was the Son of God because no normal person could have acted like Jesus.

Jesus told His disciples of your kind to those around you, you are doing it for Jesus. But because of Jesus’s death, we have access to God’s grace to love those around us. When someone is being a jerk to me, I think about how Jesus didn’t open His mouth. And when I feel unloving toward someone, I ask Jesus to love this sandpaper people through me.

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless” Mother Theresa.

How Else Does the Bible define Kindness?

We’ve all seen those turn or burn preachers shouting in the streets, but is fear really effective in bringing people to Christ? The Bible states it’s actually the kindness of God that leads to repentance.

So I searched for scriptures that bible verses about the kindness of God. The following are just a few of the ways God’s shows us kindness:

From the list above, this unusual phrase, loving-kindness keeps turning up. This term seems  only used in the bible and it means tender regard and mercy.

So kindness is wrapped in love and mercy, it’s so reassuring that’ s how our Lord feels toward us.

Does God want us to be kind?

God longs for His children to show kindness toward each other. Based on Bible verses about being kind, God wants us to show kindness to those people He’s placed in our lives and on our hearts. God would like us to care for widows and orphans, love our spouses, not to provoke our children, have unity with our brothers and honor and respect other members of the body. Almost every time I read the Bible, I find advice on how to improve my relationships.People of different backgrounds holding a puzzle piece.

 How does God want us to treat others?

Jesus tells us the second greatest commanded is to love our neighbors like we love ourselves. Therefore, God wants us to have a healthy love for ourselves and then spill this love unto others.

And we can’t forget the story of the Unmerciful Servant. The king (symbol of God) forgives the servant for an enormous debt, but the servant refuses to forgive a small debt. Upon hearing this story, the king’s upset. The bottom line is God through Jesus’s sacrifice has forgiveness us for our sins, past, present, and future. Based on God’s amazing loving-kindness and mercy toward us, we need to find it in our hearts to forgive others, as well. Even if it’s from a distance.

Who in the Bible showed kindness?

There are many people that showed kindness in the Bible, but these are the three that leap into my mind.

Good Samaritan

I find this parable teaches humans about being kind to one another as one of the best examples of being kind. There’s a half-beaten man lying on the ground, a priest, and a Levite both trained in the law, avoiding the helpless man. The “religious” people of the day should have helped but didn’t. While a Samaritan considered an outcast showed the man compassion, tending to the man’s wounds and caring for him. Jesus concludes this story by telling us we need to act the same as the good Samaritan.

Also shown in Jesus’s parable is that anyone, even if others think your a nobody, can step in and help.

And one of my favorite takeaways is that the good Samaritan helped but still went on his way. Another excellent lesson because I found when I’m helping people it’s easy to gets stuck in someone’s drama.

 Ruth

Interesting enough Ruth was also a Moabite, another outcast,  This time it’s  family story, Ruth is helping her own mother-in-law. Honestly, sometimes I find it easier to be kind to strangers than someone in my own family. God rewarded Ruth’s kindness by finding her a husband, compassionate and wealthy. Ruth is in the lineage of Jesus and she has a book in the Bible, all because she was kind to her mother-in-law.

Teach your kid kindness with these free coloring books and worksheets.

David

David and Jonathan, King’s Saul’s son, were best friends, when they should have been enemies. After all, King Saul repeatedly tried to kill David. Eventually, Johnathan asks when David becomes King to treat Jonathan’s family with faithful love. Even though Jonathan is dead, David honors their agreement. David finds Jonathan’s disabled son, Mephibosheth, and brings him to the palace to eat from the king’s table, continually

And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?

David is kind, especially that most kings kill off the previous family line, but not David: no wonder God called David a man after his own heart.

Conclusion

It seems the Bible has plenty to say about being kind! Even though my husband’s rudeness stung and that teenage snub’s unkind, I have access to the fruits of the Spirit: I can follow Jesus by not opening my mouth. Remember, God still loves you if you say unkind words, but His word says will reward your kindness and onto your generations. Now, that’s something to think about.

Related if you want to learn about 25 ways God speaks to us.

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