Thursday, March 06, 2014

In this segment, we will look at the virtue of “kindness” and “gentleness” which is an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. What we will examine is godly kindness and gentleness not worldly politeness, good manners or tolerance.

The first and most obvious question would be, ‘Are we always to be kind and gentle with people regardless of their actions?’ I would answer that in part by asking you ‘Have you read the Bible?’ God could never be consider anything less than kind and gentle, yet, we see Him on many occasion treat His people with what one could only perceive of as harshness and even meanness. I assure you however, that God is always good so anything we perceive as harshness or meanness on His part serves a purpose. When nothing else will work with us God will use trials laced with difficult hard harsh circumstances to teach us what we refuse to learn any other way. God often uses people in our lives to get this done. The Book of Judges is a good example of such.

There comes a time when nothing but tough love is left because people refuse to respond to goodness. It would be more unkind to allow a person to remain in their denial and sin than it would be to try to shock them into reality and action. God has often brought about harsh circumstance in order to bring His people to repentance. This is a truth that can actually be found in the Greek definition of the word “gentleness”.

Galatians 5:22–23 (NKJV)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness [KJV – gentleness], goodness, faithfulness [KJV – faith], ²³ gentleness [KJV – Meekness], self-control [KJV – temperance].

The word or term used in the King James Version of the Bible is the word needed in order to look up the exact meaning of said word in the Greek or Hebrew language. When researching biblical words one must always go back through the KJV 1611 Bible. Therefore, whereas the NKJV uses kindness the KJV uses gentleness in this verse. The definition in the Greek Language for the word “gentleness” used in Galatians 5:22 is as follows.

“gentleness”

5544. χρηστότης chrēstŏtēs, khray-stot´-ace; from 5543; usefulness, i.e. moral excellence (in character or demeanor):— gentleness, good (-ness), kindness.

5543. χρηστός chrēstŏs, khrase-tos´; from 5530; employed, i.e. (by implication) useful (in manner or morals):— better, easy, good (-ness), gracious, kind.

We are to employ kindness and gentleness in order to be useful in spreading the moral excellence of a Holy God.

Here are some examples of how we might express godly kindness/gentleness toward God, self, and others as well as through service? We can show kindness/gentleness toward God by not railing at Him when do not understand our circumstances but instead simply expressing our distress. When we choose to let go of the things or people that are hindering our productivity for God, we are being kind/gentle with ourselves. There are times when telling someone the harsh unfiltered truth is an expression of kindness/gentleness in that we have considered their circumstance enough to do so and speak out. When we act with kindness/gentleness to those we encounter everyday yet, do not even know, and who are often ignored, out of a gracious heart we are doing service to the kingdom of God for we are showing that there is something different about God’s people.

Godly kindness and gentleness is not a politically correct façade of politeness and empty pleasantries it a much higher form of expression where agape love can be found.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

¹¹And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹²for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— ¹⁶from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.