Show Kindness to One Another
Notes
Transcript
Intro; In 1969 country singer Glen Campbell released his new song, “Try a Little Kindness”. The song was released when the nation was facing widespread civil unrest during the civil rights conflicts. Glen Campbell's recording of "Try a Little Kindness" climbed to the top of a number of charts that same year.
If you see your brother standing by the road
With a heavy load from the seeds he sowed
And if you see your sister falling by the way
Just stop and say, "You're going the wrong way"
You've got to try a little kindness
Yes, show a little kindness
Just shine your light for everyone to see
And if you try a little kindness
Then you'll overlook the blindness
Of narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets
“Try a Little Kindness” is about helping people without second thoughts. It's not about tryin' to make people feel good while making yourself feel bad. Kindness is about understanding and doing good things, the right thing. Kindness is about being the better person if people treat you badly, instead of plotting revenge.
Christians are to “Show Kindness to One Another”
Text; Eph. 4:32
32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Kind - (CHRĒSTOS, krase-tos′) means easy, good, pleasant, gracious, blessing, forgiving.
The same Greek word is translated easy when Jesus said:
Matthew 11:30 (NKJV)
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Kindness is a verb translated as present tense, which means continuous action. Therefore, we are to be kind to one another every day, and the only way to accomplish that is to be “yoked to Jesus!”
The context of the scripture is important to understand in what Paul is saying, and how we are to show kindness to one another.
First; Chapter 4 of Ephesians is an Exhortation to Unity in the church
Secondly; Paul then encourages the church in the use of their spiritual gifts in the right manner.
Thirdly; Paul reminds them this can only happen when we put off the old man [old nature] and put on the new man [new nature] of Christ.
When a person is saved from sin in Christ, he has a new nature, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some old ways still hanging on to him.
[Ills.] A key element of growing spiritually is learning to replace that which is bad with that which is good. A bad habit or bad behavior needs to be replaced with good habits.
Old leaves cling to trees through the winter. When new life rises in the spring time, the old leaves lose their grip and fall, replaced by the new leaves. Just as we inherited Adam’s fallen nature by natural birth, we inherit Christ’s nature by the new birth. The old man or old sinful nature is to be replaced with the new man, the new nature the Christian receives when Christ becomes his or her Savior. The new man points to the Holy Spirit who indwells the Christian. He is to control our lives.
Mattoon, R. (2016). Treasures from Ephesians (First Edition, pp. 237–238). Rod Mattoon.
1. Be Kind;
1. Be Kind;
Kindness is a new life we put on in Christ. Our previous nature of a self serving attitude must be put off and the new life in Christ must be put on.
Kindness is a emotional response [v. 32] to emotional behavior [v. 30-31]
Kindness is to initiate good, pleasant, gracious, forgiving ways. We are to become a blessing to others, regardless of how they treat us.
Luke 6:31–35 (NKJV)
31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
32 “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.
35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Just as God initiated kindness towards us in Christ Jesus when we were enemies, we are to do the same with others. Kindness is forgiving!
2. Be Tenderhearted;
2. Be Tenderhearted;
Tenderhearted- concern, compassion; genuine sensitivity and heartfelt sympathy for the needs of others
To be tenderhearted means we have to take the initiative in showing kindness to others.
We show our concern/compassion by asking questions. A tenderhearted person will recognize that there is a need in someone’s life by their demeanor. Asking questions can help one learn how we can show kindness to others.
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, But a man of understanding will draw it out.
A person’s problems, fears, hurts, anxiety’s, are like deep waters, but a tenderhearted wise person can draw them out through kindness. We do this by asking questions that bring the issues to the surface.
How are you doing? [Casual conversation allows you to listen to their voice, heart]
Is everything okay? You look like something may be wrong. [Allows the person to open up if they feel comfortable with you or maybe not. Don’t be pushy]
Is there anything I can do or I’m here for you if you need to talk?
Would it be okay if I call and check on you in a couple of days?
25 Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.
There are no better words spoken than words of concern. Just our kindness in being interested will help cheer them up.
3. Be Forgiving;
3. Be Forgiving;
The greatest act of kindness ever shown to man was God’s kindness in forgiveness of our sin through Jesus Christ. We must be kind in forgiving others as Christ has forgiven us.
Our forgiveness must be on the same plane as God’s forgiveness.
God takes sin seriously so He takes forgiveness seriously. God forgives what He hates!
God’s forgiveness reckons with the settling of accounts and so should ours.
God’s forgiveness was costly and so will our forgiveness be
God’s forgiveness is real [authentic] and ours must be the same
Luke 17:3–4 (NKJV)
3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
4. Be Determined;
4. Be Determined;
Being kind doesn’t come naturally because we are all flawed, selfish, and sinful. We must be determined to be kind. Being determined to be kind requires us to focus on the results of kindness.
4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
Goodness [CHRĒSTOS, krase-tos′] in the KJV, is translated kind in [Eph. 4:32]
God’s kindness leads us to repentance. We have to be determined to be kind to others so we can see God change their life.
Close;
Kindness is part of the basic clothing of a Christian. If we are not kind, we are not properly dressed in God’s sight.
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust and hostility to evaporate.
Albert Schweitzer