Conspiracy of Kindness
Selected Passages
June 9, 2002
Introduction
A train was filled with tired people. Most of them had spent the day traveling through the hot dusty plains and at last evening had come and they all tried to settle down to a sound sleep. However, at one end of the car a man was holding a tiny baby and as night came on the baby became restless and cried more and more. Unable to take it any longer, a big brawny man spoke for the rest of the group. "Why don’t you take that baby to its mother?" There was a moment’s pause and then came the reply. "I’m sorry. I’m doin’ my best. The baby’s mother is in her casket in the baggage car ahead."
Again there was an awful silence for a moment. Then the big man who asked the cruel question was out of his seat and moved toward the man with the motherless child. He apologized for his impatience and unkind remark. He took the tiny baby in his own arms and told the tired father to get some sleep. Then in loving patience he cared for the little child all through the night.
Kindness will influence more than eloquence
Kindness seems to be a thing of the past. Our culture is swept more and more into the mindset of an “eye for an eye.” Every day there are more and more examples of just how cruel people can be to one another. Our society is filled with things like road rage, revenge hit lists in our schools and
Can we really make a difference in our society? The answer is yes and the difference that we can make begins with being examples of simple Christian kindness. Before we being this morning let me ask one question: “What does it really mean to be kind?”
Body
I. Kindness is a calling
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32
A. The meaning of kindness
1. The basic meaning
a.) Kindness means to be good, useful and helpful, considerate and gracious in all situations regardless of circumstances
b.) This is indeed a difficult calling to answer but it is an essential one that we must answer to grow more like Christ
2. The deeper implications
a.) Acknowledgment: Kindness means that we care for the feelings of others and feel with them
b.) Active: Kindness shows caring and gets right into the situation with the person
c.) Awareness: Kindness suffers with those who suffer, struggles with those who struggle and works with those who work
B. The motivation of kindness
1. Three key terms
a.) Kindness: The Greek term for kindness comes from the same word that we get our terms kin or kindred. This literally means that we are to treat others like their own family
b.) Compassionate: This means to show mercy, understanding, love and tenderness. It means to be aware of a person’s hurts, sufferings and problems. Compassion is the first step to being kind
c.) Forgiving: This means to be gracious towards others and not to hold grudges or seek vengeance for wrongs committed against you. It is to pardon others for the wrongs they have done and no longer hold it against them.
2. The key to kindness
a.) The key point that Paul is attempting to drive home here is that we are to treat others with a genuine kindness because of the kindness that God has shown to us through Christ.
b.) It is important to remember the simple fact that without Christ we might be the same kind of person who has done us wrong. Jesus died for those that have done us wrong and loves them just as much as He loves you.
c.) Kindness can become its own motive. We are made kind by being kind. Eric Hoffer
d.) The next time someone gets on your nerves, treats you badly, gets on your case or mistreats you in any other way, remember that Christ died for them
II. Kindness is a commitment
On the contrary: if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:20-21
A. The commitment to treat others kindly
1. The impact of kindness
a.) When you treat others with kindness it makes a great impact; especially when they don’t deserve it.
b.) Kindness will give you credibility. Kindness will give you influence. Kindness will give you accessibility. Kindness will give you durability.
2. The power of kindness
a.) Kindness actually works better than revenge
1.) Revenge will only lead to hurting not only the person that you are “getting even with” but it also hurts you as well
2.) Paul says that treating someone who has done you wrong with kindness is like pouring burning coals on their head.
b.) The reasons for Paul’s statement
1.) Kindness will bring shame on those who mistreat you. Showing kindness to those who mistreat you will make them look like the fools that they really are
2.) Kindness will store up the judgment of God against them. God will hold them accountable for their actions and you don’t need to get involved.
B. The overcoming of evil
1. Vengeance is a lose-lose situation
a.) Vengeance makes evil win. There is no possible way to act in a spirit of revenge and do any good.
b.) Vengeance on your part is literally taking the rightful place of God. It is not your right to “get even” with people. It is not your place to take your “wrath” out on other people.
2. How to overcome evil
a.) Paul says that we can overcome or defeat evil by doing good.
1.) 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
2.) This means that we can defeat those who mistreat us by treating them in the same manner that Christ has treated us.
3.) This applies to everyone: the neighbor that causes you problems, the people at work that are just “hard to love”, the people that cause you nothing but endless grief and those who deserve your retaliation need your kindness the most.
b.) When we “strike back” at others we hurt our ability to share God’s grace with them and we hurt the heart of God.
c.) Before you go to “strike back” at a person ask yourself this question: “Is this how I would want Jesus to treat me?”
III. Kindness is a confirmation
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 the wicked. Be merciful just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:35-36
A. Confirmation of Christ
1. The confirmation in doing good
a.) Our kindness is a confirmation that we are followers of Christ. The world around us see Christ in our kindness
b.) When people see you can they see Christ within you?
2. The confirmation in reward
a.) Eternal life: Christ centered kindness focuses on eternity
b.) Inheritance: The inheritance that we will receive is literally all that belongs to God.
B. Confirmation of being a child
1. Kindness reveals that you are a child of God
a.) Jesus says that when we live a life that is filled with kindness, we will called the children of God.
b.) We are given the sacred priviledge to be a child of the Most High.
2. Kindness is the behavior of Christ
a.) Kindness is nothing more that love in action. As a child of God we are to behave like Jesus. This means that we show a Christ centered kindness to everyone.
b.) There is no greater act of kindness than that of Christ on the cross; dying for an ungrateful world. Dying for you and for me. Jesus is our model and if He can give us grace; we can show kindness to others
Conclusion
A little girl one day went to her mother to show some fruit that had been given her. "Your friend," said the mother, "has been very kind."
"Yes," said the child. "She gave me more than these; but I have given some away."
The mother inquired to whom she had given them.
She answered, "I gave them to a girl who pushes me off the path, and makes faces at me."
When asked why she gave them to her, she replied, "Because I thought it would make her know that I wish to be kind to her, and she will not, perhaps, be so rude and unkind to me again."
Three key lessons
1. Kindness makes you more like Christ
2. Kindness reveals the love of Christ within you
3. Kindness confirms your faith in Christ
Kindness can change our world, one person at a time, one step at a time with one act at a time.
