Live Juicy – A 10 Week Study of the Fruit of the Spirit – Week Six – Kindness

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 children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Luke 6:35

I love my job. If you ask me what I do for a living, I might answer by sharing that my job is to be kind to people. I work in service, where I help others in the company do their jobs. I take between 40-60 calls a day, assisting others to be the best they can be at their jobs. When I wake up in the mornings part of my morning prayer is. “Thank you God for the grace to be kind today.”

This week as we take a more in-depth look into what it means to bear the fruit of kindness, we are going to start with a look at God’s kindness. We will then look for ways we can display kindness to others, even those who are evil and/or ungrateful.

God’s Kindness

We get to see an example of how God parents us in the story of Hagar and her son. We are going to see how God’s kindness and tender heart showed both Hagar and her son, Ishmael, His nurturing character.

The Greek word for kindness is chrestotes, which means a tender heart and a nurturing spirit. Often, when we think of God, we may see Him as stern, judgmental, or overbearing. God is sovereign, and judgment is His to administer, but I think sometimes we misread His true nature. My prayer is that by looking at the beautiful story of Hagar, you will be able to know God as your Father, El Shaddai, as the tender-hearted and nurturing parent you need. The kind parent who is always with you and looking out for you.

Two Women and No Children

For any of you women who have dealt with infertility, you know the pain Sarai endured in her desperation for a child. In this story, we will see how God’s tender heart shows kindness to both Sarai and her slave Hagar.

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Genesis 1:1-2a

As you might know or have guessed, letting your husband sleep with another woman, does not fix the problem. Sarai becomes so jealous of pregnant Hagar that she mistreats her. Hagar, in her pain and suffering, runs away.

Here we see God’s tender heart minister to Hagar as she sat crying by a spring in the desert. God sent an angel to talk to Hagar. A sign that God has noticed, seen, and cared about Hagar and her predicament. Hagar is so grateful for this kindness that she names the spring, Beer Lahai Roi, which means, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”

The story of Hagar is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. One of my greatest fears is to not be seen, noticed, or worse yet forgotten. As an Enneagram 4, I have learned this is common, and God parents this part of me with great kindness, just like He did for Hagar. I have often thought of getting a tattoo that says Beer Lahai Roi, as a reminder of knowing the God who sees me.

God Shows Kindness to Ishmael

So, Hagar gives birth to a son named Ishmael, who for 13 years was treated as the one who had fulfilled God’s promise to Abram to have a son to carry on his name. BUT THEN…. Sarai and Abram have a child together. This does not bear well for Hagar and Ishmael. They are sent away, out into the desert. During the time in the desert, Ishmael suffered, and both mom and son were near death.

Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And she began to sob. Genesis 21:16

If it breaks your heart, to see a mom so distraught at watching her child suffer that she has to look away, remember, God sees. Once again, God’s tender heart does not refuse kindness to those who are suffering.

God heard the boy crying. Genesis 21:17a

We have a God who sees our tears, hears our sobs, and shows compassion, kindness, and tenderness. We have a Father who wraps us in His arms, kisses our foreheads, and rocks us gently to the tune of His heartbeat.

God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. Genesis 21:20

God Did Not Forget Sarai

So often, when I study Hagar’s story, I forget Sarai’s pain and suffering. Ok, to be honest, I kind of want to say to her, “What were you thinking woman!” Her solution did not fix her problems; it only made them worse.

But guess what? God was gracious to Sarah. God kept his promise to Abraham, and at the old age of 100, Abraham and Sarah give birth to Isaac.

Notice the name changes here? God changed Abram’s “high father” name to Abraham, “father of a multitude,” and Sarai’s name, “my princess” to Sarah, “mother of nations.” God’s Word records His response to this promise He kept in Genesis 17.

God’s kindness extends beyond our mistakes. What a good, good Father we have. A Father who never looks away and keeps His promises. A Father who nurtures us in our worst moments. A Father who never let us go.

Be Nice to Everybody

Without God’s lovingkindness, we have nothing. Kindness should not be dependent on our feelings, how others act, or whether it appears to be deserved. Kindness is about us imitating Jesus Christ.

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 children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Luke 6:35

We are called to greatness as children of the Most High. When we remember God’s kindness to us and others, like Sarah, Ishmael, and Hagar, it becomes easier to respond with kindness to even the ungrateful and wicked.

It is easy to be kind to those who are kind to us. How will you reflect the kindness of God this week to those who challenge you?

Heavenly Father, thank you for the kindness you have shown to me time after time, even when my ways are wicked. I praise the name of the Most High who has saved me from my sin. Inspire me to show kindness to everyone this week, especially the ones who challenge me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

For a more in-depth study of the fruit of the Spirit, I recommend and am reading myself, Living Beyond Yourself, by Beth Moore