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Kind Affectionate

Kindness

It takes a long time to fill a glass with drops of water. Even when the glass seems full it can still take one two three four or five or more additional drops. But if you will keep at it there is at last that one drop that makes the glass overflow.

The same applies to deeds of kindness. In a series of kindnesses there is at last one that makes the heart run over.

Kindness

One of the most difficult things to give away is kindness for it is usually returned.

Kindness

”You can accomplish by kindness ” wrote Publilius Syrus in the first century before the birth of Christ “what you can cannot by force.”

William B. McKinley President of the United States from 1897 to 1901 was a man who understood that principle. During one of his campaigns a reporter from an opposition newspaper followed him constantly and just as persistently misrepresented McKinley’s views. Eventually during this campaign the weather became extremely cold and even though the reporter didn’t have sufficiently warm clothing he still followed McKinley. One bitter evening the president-to-be was riding in his closed carriage and the young reporter sat shivering on the driver’s seat outside. McKinley stopped the carriage and invited the reporter to put on his coat and ride with him inside the warm carriage. The young man astonished protested that McKinley knew that he was opposition and that he wasn’t going to stop opposing McKinley during the campaign. McKinley knew that but he wasn’t out to seek revenge. In the remaining days of the campaign the reporter continued to oppose McKinley but never again did he write anything unfair or biased about the future president.

 
The Fruit Of The Spirit - Kindness
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. As we continue our look at those qualities to be present when one is
 producing the fruit of the Spirit in his or her life
we now come to
 "kindness" (gentleness
KJV)
 
2. The Greek word is chrestotes {khray-stot'-ace}...
 a. This word describes "the sympathetic kindliness or sweetness of
 temper which puts others at their ease
and shrinks from giving
 pain" (PLUMMER)
 1) It therefore describes a quality that makes other people feel
 at ease when with you
 2) They know you will be kind
or gentle
  b. "It is a beautiful word for the expression of a beautiful grace"
 (TRENCH)
 
3. To help us better understand what it means to have "kindness"
let's
 take a look at how it is used in the Bible
 
[Beginning with...]
 
I. "KINDNESS" IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
 
 A. IN THE SEPTUAGINT
IT USED MORE OF GOD THAN ANYONE ELSE...
 1. For example
consider these two verses
where the word is 
 translated "good":
 a. "Praise the LORD! Oh
give thanks to the LORD
for He is
 good! For His mercy endures forever." - Ps 106:1
 b. "The Lord is good to all
And His tender mercies are over
 all His works" - Ps 145:9
 2. The reference in these verses is not to God's moral goodness

 but rather to His kindness
especially as expressed in His 
 mercy
 3. It is the kindness of God that moves the Psalmist's heart
and
 which should also move us to worship the LORD - cf. Ps 100
 a. In this psalm we find a call to come to the Lord with joy

 thanksgiving and praise
 b. Why? "For the LORD is good..." - Ps 100:4-5
 
 B. WRITERS OF THE O.T. SAW GOD'S KINDNESS EXPRESSED...
 1. In nature - Ps 65:9-13
 2. In the events of history - Ps 145:1-7
 3. In the instructions of His Word - Ps 119:65-68; 25:8
 4. In special ways
to certain people...
 a. To those afflicted
who trust in Him - Nah 1:7
 b. To those poor
who follow Him - Ps 68:10
 c. To all those who hope and trust in Him - Ps 34:8
 d. To all those who fear Him - Ps 31:19
 
[From the kindness of God as revealed in the Old Testament
let's move
on to consider...]
 
II. "KINDNESS" IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
 
 A. ONCE AGAIN WE READ OF THE KINDNESS OF GOD...
 1. In nature
even to ungrateful and evil men - Lk 6:35; cf. Mt
 5:45
 2. In the giving of His Son
in Whom we have salvation - Ti 3:4-7
 3. Even in the ages to come - Ep 2:7
 
 B. SINCE GOD IS KIND
SO HIS CHILDREN SHOULD BE KIND...
 1. Kindness is part of the Christian "garment" we are to put on 
 - cf. Co 3:12
 2. Kindness is to characterize our treatment of one another - Ep 
 4:31-32
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. Do we act with kindness toward others?
 a. So that others are "at ease" in our presence
 b. So that others feel they can draw close to us?
 -- Or do we with sharp words
cold shoulders
or arrogant 
 condescension discourage others from feeling comfortable around 
 us?
 
2. Remember that kindness is the "sympathetic kindliness or sweetness 
 of temper which puts others at their ease..."
 a. "This Christian kindness is a lovely thing
and its loveliness 
 comes from the fact that Christian kindness means treating others
 in the way in which God has treated us." (BARCLAY)
 b. If we truly desire to be "sons of the Highest"
then we must 
 imitate the kindness of God - cf. Lk 6:35-36
 
3. Speaking of the kindness of God...
 a. What is in store for those who reject His kindness? - cf. Ro 2:
 4-11
 b. What about those who do not continue in His kindness? - cf. Ro 
 11:22
 
Have you responded to the kindness of God in accordance to His Will...?

－－《Executable Outlines》