The Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Part Five – Kindness

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

In part one of this series we learned that Paul encouraged Christians to let the Word of Christ dwell richly within them (Colossians 3:16-17). He also encouraged followers of Christ to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18-20). Paul also taught that as believers obeyed the Word, followed the example of Christ and were filled with the Spirit they would manifest the fruit of the Holy Spirit.   

 

Galatians 5:22-25

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

 

This bearing of fruit is God’s will for our lives and it brings Him great glory.

 

John 15:8

“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

 

So as we allow God’s Spirit to live in and through us, the Spirit produces a set of Christ-like qualities or virtues within us, the fruit of the Spirit. This fruit of the Spirit is manifested in relationships, in our relationship with God as well as with other followers of Christ. While we might think that the fruit of the Spirit are personal attributes and private virtues, they are more importantly interpersonal qualities, virtues that are a result of people loving and ministering to one another as they let the Word of Christ dwell in them, as they are filled with the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is manifested as we grow spiritually and this fruit is a nine-fold visible attribute of a true Christian life. This fruit is not a list of individual “fruits” from which we pick and choose. Rather, the fruit of the Spirit is one nine-fold “fruit” that characterizes all who truly walk in the Holy Spirit. Collectively, this is the fruit that all Christians should be producing in their new lives in Jesus Christ. In other words, the fruit of the Spirit is a physical manifestation of a Christian’s transformed life. In our last segments we learned about love, joy, peace and patience. Now we study kindness.

 

Kindness could be defined as an attractive temperament that shows mercy, generosity, and charity to others. Kindness is a generous action which flows out of a spirit that seeks good and not harm. This godly trait and fruit of the Spirit comes from the Holy Spirit empowering our lives. When we think of kindness we may think it is lightweight, timid and weak, but it often takes great strength of character and determination to let the Holy Spirit empower us to be kind to others, especially those who have a tendency to wound or do us harm. The world can be an insensitive and brutal place at times and when we demonstrate the virtue of kindness to others it can soften the harshness of the world.

 

In the New Testament the Greek word for kindness is “chrestotes” (pronounced: krey-stah-teys). It can also be translated as “good.”

 

When kindness, part of the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit, is expressed it demonstrates visible spiritual growth in Jesus Christ. When we are filled with the Spirit because we are dwelling on the Word of God, we will manifest kindness in all aspects of our lives. Whenever we quench the Spirit or disobey God’s Word we will be hindered in our walk with the Lord and the fruit of the Spirit will not be demonstrated in our lives. The result will be a lack of kindness shown towards others we meet in the day.

 

One of our examples of kindness comes from our Father God. He demonstrated His kindness to us through Jesus Christ.

 

“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 2:6–7

 

God’s kindness saves us and it illustrates the immensity of His grace towards us. His kindness also demonstrates His great love for us. This serves as an example for us to follow. As we are filled with God’s love for us, we are to demonstrate this love towards others as we show kindness to them, even in difficult situations.

 

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”

Titus 3:4–5

 

True kindness comes from our being filled with the Spirit of God. As we have this fruit of the Spirit in our lives and express it towards others we are given the reward of delighting in this fruit. We know this to be true because the Lord delights in being kind and He knows when we show kindness in relationships and situations we will delight in it as well.

 

“Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.”

Jeremiah 9:23–24

 

Proverbs is always a wealth of wisdom and it tells us that a life full of kindness is wise and beneficial.

 

“A kindhearted woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth. A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.”

Proverbs 11:16–17

 

We know it is easy to show kindness to those who are pleasant, friendly and kind, but the Lord has a higher calling for us. He wishes us to be kind to all people, even those who are mean, ungrateful and unkind. God is our example again, for Luke tells us that God shows kindness at times even to the ungrateful and wicked.

 

“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”

Luke 6:35

 

The world encourages us to get even with those who hurt us, but God has a higher calling for those He calls His children. We are to be kind to everyone instead of seeking to “get even.” This does not mean we are to be a “doormat” for people to walk on and abuse. Even Jesus questioned some of the abuse he received at His unjust trial (John 18:23). We are not to seek revenge and payback for evil done to us. We are to be kind and show kindness whenever possible.

 

“Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.”

1 Thessalonians 5:15

 

One thing about life that is consistent, we will face situations where others will hurt our wound us. In such experiences we are to express the fruit of the Spirit which includes kindness, and this kindness often involves forgiving others. Again, our example is God Himself. He forgives us our sins and we are to forgive others in like manner.

 

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:32

 

In John 15:1-17 we read that Jesus compared followers of His to branches on a vine. He calls Himself the vine and we are the branches. As we obey His commands we remain in His love. He also instructs us to love as He loves and part of expressing this love is showing kindness in relationships and situations. When we do this we bear much fruit, the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

 

Examples of Jesus’ kindness can be found in the way He ministered to people. One such example of how he expressed the fruit of the Spirit in His ministry is found in Mark 7:31-37. Here he displays love and kindness as he heals the deaf and mute man that is brought to Him. We see that Jesus expressed kindness person to person. The passage tells us that Jesus took him aside and away from others that were present. Jesus is making this man feel special and loved. He is forming the basis of an intimate relationship where kindness can be shown. Jesus also demonstrates in this situation that God is the source of kindness. Before He heals the man, Jesus looks up to heaven acknowledging that God was the true source of the healing being done, and the kindness being shown. The man was miraculously healed and this is an example of how the fruit of the Spirit, specifically kindness, has the power to change the world as God acts through us. We are not divine like Jesus was, but we do have the Holy Spirit living within us and we are His children and therefore His power can work through us. We can show love and kindness to others, all it requires is a consistent obedience to His Word, a filling of His Spirit and a willingness to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit as we are empowered by the Spirit. Kindness can change this harsh world on a person by person basis.

 

Paul writing to the Christians in Colossae mentions kindness as a critical part of how people are to live as followers of Christ. As you examine this portion of his letter you can see the parallels it has to the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Let us do this in our own lives as we seek to keep in step with the Holy Spirit.

   

Colossians 3:12-14

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

 

“I shall pass through this world but once. Any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”

Henry Drummond