The Wisdom of Kindness

I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us — yes, the many good things he has done for Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses.

– Isaiah 63:7

When asked by one of the Pharisees — a strict religious sect of Jesus’ day — to name the greatest of God’s laws, Christ’s response astounded his audience with its simplicity and clarity:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment,” Jesus said. “And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

So, in just a few brief phrases, Jesus summarized the core message of the entire Old Testament: That God’s love, translated into beneficial motivations and kindness through our faith in Jesus Christ, is an unstoppable, world-changing force.

This is a difficult concept for many people because they equate the term “love” with that squishy word associated with weddings, chocolates, and Valentine’s Day. But Jesus wasn’t teaching his followers about that often fleeting, awkward emotion. As Christ-followers, God calls us to walk in step with him by putting our love into sincere, tangible action. And this can come in many widely divergent forms: from helping an elderly neighbor get their groceries to revealing God’s light to strangers through a prison ministry. It could also translate into changing a co-worker’s life by showing him or her how Jesus has changed your own. The possibilities and potential are endless.

God’s love and kindness are unfathomable, and he demonstrates that by going to any length to bring you and me into his family. Perhaps the most famous passage in the New Testament, John 3:16 proclaims that God loves the world so much that he gave his only Son (Jesus) so that those who believe in him will have eternal life. God willingly let Jesus suffer and die to pay for all our wrongdoings — past, present, and future. We rightfully deserve death because of how we’ve lived our lives. But God’s love and kindness offer joy and happiness if we’re only willing to accept it. 

The limits of human vocabulary keep us from fully describing the meaning and implications of how God cherishes his children. We can only skim the surface of this vast ocean. But perhaps it’s not so difficult. After all, it takes just three simple words from 1 John to sum it up: God is Love. And it’s when we emulate his examples of love and kindness that we turn our faith into action and transform the world one person at a time.