the kindest

we see kindness exemplified through the actions of others. kindness is an outward expression of goodness, the tangible ways in which we show love towards others.

            Romans 2:1-4 ‘therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges, for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. we know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. do you suppose, O man – you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself – that you will escape the judgment of God? or do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?’

            God’s kindness is actually what is supposed to lead us into repentance, Paul specifically mentions the fruit of kindness and not any of the others. because in His acts of kindness, there is love extended towards us, there is joy in the blessings He grants upon our lives, there is peace extended when we are in need of rest, and so much more. God shows us all kinds of tangible ways in which He loves us through His kindness. through His kindness, we get to experience who He really is.

my brother told me that God’s kindness is who He is to you. which i love the way that is put because we need to have our own faith. we can’t live off of someone else’s, there has to be a personal interaction between you and God. stories from other believers are able to fan your flame, but they cannot sustain your entire faith, they cannot be what you build your house upon. you have to see God for yourself, you have to see the patience He has with you, the kindness He shows you, the forgiveness He freely gives you, and when you see all of these moments it is what drives us into repentance. when we see how undeserving we are of everything that God has given us we catch a glimpse of just how kind He truly is.

not to mention His kindness that we will experience on the other side of eternity where He has prepared a place for us (John 14:3), where He has seated us at His right hand in Heaven (Ephesians 2:6), where the streets are lined of gold and the walls are of jasper (Revelation 21). God goes above and beyond in His kindness to us on earth, we fall short of His glory day after day, and yet picks us back up and dusts us off. His kindness is unimaginable, it is pure, without fault, never lacking, it is always the same supply, and He is never close to running empty.

Ephesians 2:8 ‘for by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God.’ what better way to show how kind God is? that we are incapable of achieving our salvation and God knows it, so He sent His Son to pay our price so that no one person is too far from God’s reach. God is so kind that He was willing to let His son suffer so you can spend eternity with Him by believing in Him. no amount of work, or hours punched can get you into Heaven, God says ‘just come’.

look for different ways that God is trying to extend his kindness towards you, ask Him to make them more clear for you, ask Him to stir your heart, i know you will like what you find.

-n0tbychance