The Virtue of Kindness
Part 6
The Core Virtues of the Christian Life
Galatians 5:22-23; Micah 6:8
Jeff Armbrester
Mamie Adams always went to a branch post office in her town because the postal employees there were friendly. She went there to buy stamps just before Christmas one year and the lines were particularly long. Someone pointed out that there was no need to wait in line because there was a stamp machine in the lobby. "I know," said Mamie, ’but the machine won’t ask me about my arthritis."
Bits and Pieces, December, 1989, p. 2.
Greek chrestos – the kind ones (KJV translates it as gentleness, kindness, goodness, good)
Christ christos
Kindness is not an attitude or emotion. We do no think of people as being kind simply because they do not hurt anybody. We regard people as being kind if they go out of their way, with no public recognition, to perform deeds of kindness.
Kindness is love in action.
The Parable of Good Samaritan
Almost two decades ago, a movement called Random Acts of Kindness began. The missions was simple: to perform acts of kindness at random, whenever an opportunity presents its self.
About the same time, pastor Steve Sjogren wrote a book titled, A Conspiracy of Kindness. Sjogren called, kindness, servant evangelism.
Q. What is Servant Evangelism?
A. Servant evangelism is a simple, straightforward approach to sharing God’s love in simple, practical ways. In 1984, founding pastor Steve Sjogren and several people from the Vineyard Community Church loaded up bags of groceries and bought Christmas trees and took them to housing projects on the north side of Cincinnati. Out of this action was born a vision to reach the city of Cincinnati and the world by serving others with no strings attached
What kind of response have they gotten from their servant evangelism?
I just got back from McDonalds on Nilles Road in Fairfield. It’s Christmas Eve and I literally counted change from couch cushions and my car to buy some lunch for my son. When I got to the window the lady there told me that the man in front of me had paid for my food, and asked that she give me this card. It was a card for The Vineyard (a local church).
That man in front of me didn’t know that I was a single mom, or that I’m not exactly the best, most sin-free person in the world.
He just wanted me to know that God loved me. I needed this more than he could have possibly known. Regardless of what I get for Christmas this year, I will consider that reminder the best gift.
Since he drove off before I could thank him personally, I just wanted to thank the church he came from for everything you do.
Merry Christmas,
N.N.
www.kindness.org
Kindness is love in action. Love is patient. Love is kind.
The great act of kindness began before time began…
