Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us. Ephesians 4:32-5:2
My group’s admin has a signature block on the bottom of all her emails that includes: “Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle – Plato”. That’s a good thing to keep in mind when dealing with difficult people. But it’s not such good advice, however if we find ourselves in difficult circumstances. Just because you or I are having fighting a hard battle doesn’t give us a license to be unkind—and that’s where being tenderhearted comes in.
Almost anyone can be kind when everything is going wonderfully. It takes the tender heart of the Spirit’s transforming fruit to be kind when things aren’t going well…when we face disappointment. When discouragement and hopelessness have us in their grip. When friends have abandoned us, or foes are chortling over our troubles. This calls us to give ourselves over (often) to the Spirit’s transforming power if we’re going to be kind, anyway.
Almost anyone can be kind to those gracious and wonderfully pleasant people in our lives. But listen to Jesus. Referring to his Father, Jesus said, “He is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish” (Luke 6:35). He’s kind to the people who don’t deserve it. Apparently, kindness isn’t just for the gracious and generous people in our lives. Ouch! Besides, none of us has ever qualified to be loved by Jesus. None of us have ever deserved God’s kindness. We have received it freely, so we give it freely (Matt 10:8).
Two examples of Christian kindness are given for us in today’s verses: The first is the forgiveness of God. The second is the love of Jesus.
Today’s verse says, “forgiving one another, as in Christ God forgave you.” So when kindness calls for forgiveness, God, Himself is our example of forgiveness.
The second pattern is, “Walk in love, as Christ loved us.” So when love expresses itself in kindness, Jesus is our example of love.
Read Part 1 here.