Kindness

Now we're ready for the main message of today. I'd like to begin with a simple question, but a very practical one as well. How can our lives be better by focusing on only one thing? How can we focus on one thing that's really going to make a difference in our lives if we apply it? I guarantee you, if we apply this, our lives are going to be so much better if we just learn to focus on this and learn the lesson that God wants us to learn.

It will give us a feeling of achievement and progress. As we go from one day to the next, our lives are like the sands on an hourglass and one little sand drop, a grain of sand falls every day. We can't recover it, but certainly we can do something with that grain of sand as we live day to day. I'd like to focus on one of the action words of what love is about. Love is expressed in this certain way. It is an action word. It's something that has to be done.

It's one of the fruits of love. And that word is kindness. The term kindness is found throughout the Bible. It describes God and describes one of the attributes that God wants us to learn in this life. The term kindness comes from one Hebrew word in particular and also one Greek word. Remember, the Old Testament was written mostly in Hebrew, just a tiny bit in Aramaic and parts of Daniel and other parts, but basically it's written in Hebrew. And by the way, I just started reading a book where an archaeologist found studying Egyptian hieroglyphics and also archaeological finds that Hebrew was the first language that developed an alphabet. That's just breaking news in the world that he was able to prove this through all of the linguistic and archaeological studies.

So I was really surprised because that doesn't show up in any newspaper. And it just happened to be a magazine that I received called Bible and Spade. And there, one of the back areas, it shows this article that a very eminent archaeologist studied and deciphered many of these Egyptian hieroglyphs that became the first part of what today is the alphabet. I've always considered that the alphabet is one of those miracles that God had to give mankind to be able to move on from just having little pictures and turning them into something that he could transmit his revealed word, because it is through the Hebrew alphabet that we get the Hebrew Old Testament.

But how did that come across? Well, I'm just starting to go through this very studious book on the subject where the man shows that Hebrew was the first language that developed the alphabet, not the Phoenicians, not the Egyptians, and I'll be giving you more information as it comes along.

But I thought I would share that news with you. So the term for kindness in the Old Testament is the Hebrew word hesed, H-E-S-E-D. It's one of the most beautiful words in the Old Testament. Loving kindness is the way it's described God's loving kindness to Israel, to his people. And it has to do with the idea of thoughtful deeds toward others. So it isn't just a feeling, it is an action. God's kindness to Israel. It wasn't just with words or promises, as Dave Wallach brought out. Look at all the ways he intervened in the life of Jacob.

It wasn't just feelings of goodwill or promises. They were carried out in deeds, in different works and actions that God carried out. Now in the New Testament, which is written in Greek, now Greek, the alphabet, also is derived from the Hebrew Semitic alphabet that went and there was a change as it spread through all the nations, but there is this original alphabet and Hebrew has also a certain impact on the Greek alphabet. The Greek word is crestus, c-h-r-e-s-t-o-s, and it's thoughtful deeds toward others, having thoughtful deeds, producing thoughtful deeds. You can also describe it as caring put in action.

You care for somebody, but how are you going to describe it? It can't just be words. It has to be more than that. An act of kindness is something that you are thoughtful in thinking about the other person's welfare. Notice in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 in verse 4, describing love. Remember, this is called the love chapter. In verse 4 it says, love suffers long and is kind. That's the word crestus.

It's interesting that back in 2003, a survey was done by a prestigious firm, and it covered 37 nations with many different cultures. Over 16,000 people participated in it, and when they were asked, what is the greatest characteristic that you look for in a mate, in the person who you want to marry, they said the number one answer was kindness.

That's what people looked for, both in men and women, a person that is kind. Now, kindness is always appreciated, but not always acknowledged. People can thank you, they can be happy about it. It doesn't mean it's going to be kept in their memory for very long. Notice what that survey brought out is something that also is found in a biblical principle.

In Proverbs chapter 19, in verse 22, this is a puzzling verse. Many times people didn't know exactly what it meant, but we'll see exactly what it means. It says, what is desired in a man is kindness. So the book of Proverbs tells us that is something, and basically it's not just a man. Of course, this is used in a generic way, it means a person. What is desired in a person, above all things, is kindness. Having hesed, having that God's loving kindness imitated by the person. I know, to me, acts of kindness are just very important. I remember those acts of kindness that people have done throughout my life. I still remember my first grade kindergarten or first grade teacher, and I can't remember any other teachers in high school all the way. The 12 years, I don't remember any of them, but I'll never forget that first grade teacher that as I came from Cuba, without knowing any English, I went to this small little elementary school, and this little old teacher took me in, and she was just so kind to me. I never felt her repel me, talk down to me. I just remember loving kindness. Her name was Mrs. Caesar. Mrs. Caesar, and she made my transition so much smoother. So those acts of kindness you remember throughout your life. I remember another act of kindness when I was in elementary school, probably around fourth or fifth grade, and at that time I didn't really have much of an identity. I just settled in first grade. I went through maybe I was around nine or ten at that time, and the kids were playing baseball, and I was just crossing over the field in the back when one of the kids hit this ball, and it sailed out into left fields. And sure enough, I was walking along there, and so it was just practice that they were having, and I picked it up and I threw it, and it went all the way to the catcher. And so the coach said, hey, Sonny, come over here, because he was impressed that I had a strong arm, and I'll never forget his name.

He was an Italian descent, Mr. Vitale. He took me in, he taught me baseball. I became the pitcher for the team. We won a championship with him. My cousin was a short stop there in Little League, but you know what? That gave me confidence. That gave me self-assurance. Why?

Because of an act of kindness. Somebody believed in you in that way. And so what is desired in a man is kindness. I like the way Darby's translation puts it, again, putting it in the generic term, not man or woman, but just says, the charm of a person is his or her kindness.

That's what stands out. Are you a kind person? Are you a person that looks out toward others and helps them out? One of the best things we can do every day to improve our lives just says, don't say a few hurtful words is one of the best advice you can have. Bite that word that's going to be hurtful, harmful. Don't let it come out of your mouth. Eat it. Swallow it.

That's one of the best things, but also it is avoid that unkind word, that unkind deed, something that you just felt like doing an act of unkindness. If we can just avoid that and instead turning it into a kind deed. Boy, is that going to change our lives.

Notice what it says in Ephesians chapter 4 verse 31 and 32. I'd like to read it in the contemporary English version. It says, stop being bitter and angry and mad at others. Don't yell at one another or curse each other or even be rude. Instead, be kind and merciful and forgive others just as God forgave you because of Christ. So it tells us, instead, be kind and merciful. That is something that God wants us to develop more and more. Being unkind doesn't cost any effort. That's human nature. Human nature seeks like water the path of least resistance and it goes downhill in a natural way.

But to be kind, to be merciful, to be patient, that's something that everyone looks forward to having someone like them around. Now God is that way. He is always that way. Notice in Luke chapter 6 Luke chapter 6 verse 31.

It says the following.

It says, and just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

But if you love those who love you, what credit is that for you?

For even sinners love those who love them. Well, if you're kind to those that are kind, that's not very special. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?

For even sinners do the same. 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. In other words, you do me a favor, now you owe me a favor. And I owe you a favor. Verse 35 says, But love your enemies. Do good and lend, hoping for nothing in return.

In other words, some profit out of it, some benefit, some advantage. What he says is don't look for that. That being kind and your reward will be great and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful just as your father also is merciful.

So God is that way, but certainly we could improve on that. Anybody think that they've already conquered this problem and they were completely kind and do everything right in that way? I don't think so.

So I'd like to show you two biblical examples, first of all, of not being kind and the consequences of it. Sometimes our lives can change dramatically because we weren't kind in a moment when we could have been. Or maybe it's something in the future that we're able to change because we were able to be kind. And it was like the fork on the road. And you took the right fork. You took the right road instead of the wrong one.

So I'd like to start, first of all, with two biblical examples of men who ruined it because they didn't have that act of kindness.

The first one is called Hanan, the son of Nahash. Now that's not a very common name, but it's in the Bible. He was the king of Ammon. At that time, today it's Jordan.

Anybody that's visited Ammon, well, it comes from this term Ammon. And Raba was the old capital of this Ammon, which today is Ammon Jordan. So anybody who's gone to the capital of Jordan, Ammon, that is ancient Raba. And boy, did he make a wrong move.

Because somebody did an act of kindness, he didn't believe them. He believed they had ulterior motives. And so instead of thinking and being grateful, he turned against them and did wickedly and dealt unkindly to him. And boy, did he pay the consequences.

Now have we ever acted that way when somebody tried to be kind and we didn't believe them and we insulted them or we rejected them? It happens all the time. Notice in 1 Chronicles chapter 19, 1 Chronicles chapter 19 verses 1 through 6. We already have studied the life of Jacob a bit more. Well, we're going to study a little more about these two biblical personages, Hainan. H-A-N-U-N. So it starts here in 1 Chronicles chapter 19 verse 1.

And the person who did the kindness was King David. Notice it says, it happened after this that Nahash, the king of the people of Ammon, died and his son reigned in his place. Then David said, I will show kindness to Hainan, the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me. So here David was a very generous, outgoing, and caring person. And he said, well now I'm king and I'm grateful to this king who helped me in certain moments of tribulation. And so I'm going to show kindness to his son. So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. Okay, they had the funeral. And so David sent men to him. We don't know whether the funeral had already happened, but certainly with something recent. Just like you sometimes send condolences. Well David sent some of his servants, his representatives to him. In this case, it'd be kind of like ambassadors.

And David's servants came to Hainan in the land of the people of Ammon to comfort him.

And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hainan, do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Did his servants not come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land? So here you're always going to have a bad press. Here David's doing a nice gesture where they're always looking for that ulterior motive. Well, what is really David after here? And that happens in our own personal lives. You do something nice for someone that might not be a close friend or relative, and they might say, well, what's he in it for? Why is he doing this? And they get suspicious. They start going off on a fishing expedition to see what ulterior motive can be found. And Hainan believed these counselors. He believed the gospels.

And instead of realizing that David had been a friend of his father, now that he was in charge, he forgot all the kindness that David and his father had done to each other. Therefore, Hainan took David's servants, shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst at their buttocks and sent them away. One of the most shameful things for people in those days is to be naked and to just show all of their inner parts that way. And here are these ambassadors. Basically, he shaved them, which is, of course, a mark of shame. And then he cut their garments so they just be naked. Then some went and told David about the men, and he sent to meet them because the men were greatly ashamed. They didn't want to go back home. And the king said, Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return. When the people of Ammon saw that they had made themselves repulsive to David, here David basically biting the hand that was feeding them, a very powerful king, and now they insulted him. And all of a sudden, David was no longer this very generous and kind-hearted repulsive to David. Hannon and the people of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire for themselves chariots, enforcement from Mesopotamia, from Syrian Mecca, and from Soa. And so they said, Oh well, okay, we've got to arm ourselves because now David's going to come and he's going to want to punish the shame that we caused. So here's a needless war. How much money did they spend hiring these mercenaries to come to fight for them? And so they had a battle, and guess what? They lost because God was not going to deal kindly with this type of action. And so it says here in chapter 20, verse 1, it happened in the spring of the year at the time kings go out to battle that Joab let out the armed forces and ravaged the country of the people of Ammon and came and besieged Reba, but David stayed at Jerusalem and Joab defeated Reba and overthrew it. So here the capital, the king with his palace and everything, all because of an unkind gesture to a kind measure from someone else. Have you ever had that in your life? That all of a sudden it just turned into a nightmare because something was misunderstood and the person was trying to help you, and all of a sudden you took it the wrong way and all of a sudden they became an adversary to you. Continuing on, verse 2, it says, Then David took their king's crown from his head and found it to weigh a talent of gold.

And there were precious stones in it, and it was set on David's head. Also he brought out the spoil of the city in great abundance, and he brought out the people who were in it and put them to work with saws, with iron picks, and with axes. So David did all to all the cities of the people of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem. So here a change in absolute history because of one wrong gesture. So acts of kindness should be thanked but never repulsed in this way.

You see what happened with an unkind gesture. A king lost his crown and lost his territory, basically just completely blew it.

So most children forget the kindness done to their parents.

And we need to judge others by the strength of their character, not by baseless suspicions, gossip, or envy of others. They are trying to bring a good person down. See, they thought, well, yeah, David, he's now the king, and look at all the power, and well, we're envious. So let's get this king to insult this person. Let's get even with David. Boy, did they ever pay a price for that.

Let's see the second personage. This is a good king turned bad because, again, he wasn't kind when he should have been, and instead was unkind, did the wrong things, his pride got in the way, he had a chance to get back. Usually this is what happens when a good person's doing something good, and maybe he opens themselves up, and sure enough, the person comes from behind and sticks his knife in the back because they can, because they were trusted, because they thought a kind action will bring something positive. This good thing turned, king turned bad with King Joash. Let's look in 2 Chronicles chapter 24. 2 Chronicles chapter 24, verse 1. It says, Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned 40 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zebiah of Beersheba. Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehuadah, the priest. And Jehuadah took two wives for him, and he had sons and daughters. Now it happened after this that Joash set his heart on repairing the house of the Lord. And so here's a seven-year-old prince. His father died. He ascended to the throne, but he had a righteous priest, a righteous minister that guided him in his youth. And he followed the instructions, and God was with him. And all of a sudden he saw the temple, and it was in disrepair. And so he wanted to please God. He did something very positive, and they were able to come together and bring the funds, and they repaired God's temple. Things were going well until the old priest died. And then it changed from one day to the next. Notice verse 15.

But Jehuadah grew old and was full of days, and he died. He was 130 years old when he died.

And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel. Both toward God and his house. Sterling reputation. He wasn't even of the dynasty of David. He was a high priest, and yet he was buried with the kings of Israel, because he was a man that followed God. The king had followed him during this time. Verse 17. Now after the death of Jehuadah, the leaders of Judah came and bowed down to the king. And the king listened to them. So here's another group. They wanted to have more fun and games, and they didn't have the righteous character of Jehuadah. And the king listened to them. Therefore they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers and served wooden images and idols, and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their trespass. Yet he, talking about God, sent prophets to them to bring them back to the Lord, and they testified against them, but they would not listen. See, sometimes the king doesn't have the character to go along. As long as he has somebody guiding him in the right way, he's fine. But you take that person out, and this person just veers off into liberalism and to following false values and false gods. Listen to what happens after.

Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah, the son of Jehuadah, the priest. This was the son of Jehuadah. So you'd think that Joash would have respected this son of the man who had done so much for him, had been so kind and guided him. Did he remember that? It says, and the priest who stood above the people and said to them, thus says God, why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he also has forsaken you. So they conspired against him, and at the command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord. The king gave his approval. How quick you forget acts of kindness when you're in power, when things are going good in that sense. See, the king had led his pride. He had gotten used to power and authority. He didn't like anybody correcting him.

And he just thought, well, we got to be more accepting and tolerant of all of these other religions around us. We don't want to offend anybody. And some of them said, basically, well, we can have God and we can have the pagan gods as well. Let's all be tolerant of each other and our beliefs. Verse 22, Thus, Joash the king did not remember the kindness which Jehu Ida, the hesed, the kindness, the kind acts, did not remember the kindness which Jehu Ida, his father, had done to him. Father, in the sense of guide, but killed his son. And as he died, he said, the Lord, look on it and repay. God, you take care of this. So it happened in the spring of the year that the army of Syria came upon him and they came to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the leaders of the people from among the people and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, but the Lord delivered a very great army into their hand because they had forsaken the Lord, God of their father. So they executed judgment against Joash. God used these armies to punish Joash. And when they had withdrawn from him, for they left him severely wounded, his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the sons of Jehoiada, the priest. It seems like he killed more than just one of the sons and killed him on his bed. So he died. So another tragic end because you forgot acts of kindness. You forgot what people had done. It's so easy to do. But a tragic ending. As long as Joash paid attention to the righteous priest, he was fine. But afterwards, he just did his own thing. He forgot the way of righteousness. Now, before I finish, I'd like to give just quickly two examples of being kind. One was David in 2 Samuel 9. Daniel 2 Samuel 9.

Because David was one who did not forget acts of kindness after he had become king.

Second, let's see, 2 Samuel 9 verses 3 and 4.

Then the king said, Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God? And Zebah said to the king, There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.

So the king said to him, Where is he? And Zebah said to the king, Indeed, he is in the house of Mecher, the son of Amuel in Lothibar. Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Mecher, the son of Amuel from Lothibar. Now when Mephe-Bosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, Mephe-Bosheth, and he answered, Here is your servant. So David said to him, Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan, your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul, your grandfather, and you shall eat bread at my table continually. Then he bowed himself and said, What is your servant that you should look upon such a dead dog as I could even walk without crutches? And the king called to Siba, Saul's servant, and said to him, I have given you to your master's son all that belong to Saul and to all his house. That's an act of kindness. The second one is Jesus Christ himself. Let's go to John chapter 19.

While he was hanging on that stake in John 19 verse 26, he saw his mother. It says, When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing by, he said to his mother, Woman, behold your son. Then he said to the disciple, Who was John? Behold your mother. And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

So he was concerned. Who was going to take care of my mother when I die? And so he was thinking about his mother while he was dying there. He was still with acts of kindness.

And of course in Luke 23, 34, where Jesus Christ looked at the crowd and what they were doing, and he said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing. Acts of kindness to the very end of his life. And Jesus Christ is alive and well, and he's sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and they're both the gods in that sense, and God the Father and God the Son. They are both filled with acts of kindness toward us. So very quickly, three action steps.

Ask God to prepare us to do acts of kindness in the day. It's one of the fruits of God's Spirit. It should be in our prayers. Help us see how we can do acts of kindness. Number two, look for opportunities to be kind and then follow through. Don't just have the idea or the intention. Follow it through. Carry it out. Remember, kindness is an action. It's not just a feeling.

And finally, number three, remember acts of kindness at church and for these coming feasts. There are so many opportunities to show kindness. Remember, brethren, that little kindness goes a long ways.