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Where is our kindness?
Oct 8, 05:52 AM
It is no secret that the world is getting to be a more treacherous place in which to live. There are the obvious blights of war, crime, and terrorism, which daily flood our senses until we are practically numb to them. No doubt the whole of creation is groaning in bondage, awaiting the new genesis of God’s restoration and the revealing of the children of God.. Until then, we can try to turn a deaf ear to it all by turning off the news and surrounding ourselves with “good” people. That would be a fine way to deal with it were it not for the fact that we are called to be light in the darkness of the very world we seem to be trying to avoid. When Christians cloister themselves in an effort to get through life unscathed, we become like salt which never comes off the shelf. Eventually it spoils, or solidifies and it has to be thrown out.
There is, however, another reality which we cannot escape and this is the growing trend toward anger and cynicism in our thinking and contentiousness in our dealing with others. We should expect the world to be cynical. We have long since given up on the naïve belief that human will and ability will generally improve the human condition. The jury has already come in on that hope and found it to be without merit. We can cure small pox but we cannot touch the depravity of human nature. The great enigma is that in American society especially, the more affluent we become, the more fear, anger, and depression seem to wrack our psyches and cripple our relationships.
“It shall not be so among you.” Jesus was often fond of using this phrase. It shall not be so among the believing community. Anger, cynicism, and violence are not congruent with the way of life of the Kingdom of heaven. It is disturbing when Christians exhibit the same, or worse anger and cynicism as the rest of the world. It is even more disturbing when so-called believers demonstrate the same competitive contentiousness in their relationships as do those who are drowning in their own selfishness. We are being inundated with Christians blasting in anger, threatening law suits, refusing to budge from their entrenched positions, vehemently defying others, declaring emphatically what they will or will not do. Why should anyone come to faith in Christ if we who profess that faith do not manifest a more excellent way?
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (1 Corinthians 5:22). Where is our kindness? Where is our gentleness? Where is our love? There are many instances when non-believers demonstrate more genuine kindness to others than does the Church! Brethren, this ought not be so! Do we need to be reminded again of the Word of the Lord which we claim to be our truth and life? “Make love your aim.” (1 Corinthians 14:1) “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32). “Let no one seek his own good but the good of his neighbor.” (1 Corinthians 10:24).
We are in desperate need of a fresh dose of kindness. Kindness springs forth from humility. Too many of us continue to stand our ground, relentlessly thrusting ourselves forward, refusing to lose one single thread. Jesus admonished us to learn from Him for He was meek and lowly in heart. There we will find rest for our burdened angry souls. “Love is patient and kind; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5).
Moral goodness does not exist in isolation. We cannot be holy while being locked away in our closets. True holiness is not simply the virtue of avoiding sin and keeping a pure heart. Holiness must also be manifest in kindness to other human beings. Kindness is more than being nice, but right now, a little bit of “nice” would go a long way. Kindness must necessarily be demonstrated as we extend ourselves to act benevolently in relation to others. Our call is not simply to obey moral laws but to do what is beneficial and profitable for persons other than ourselves and what belongs to us.