The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. There is no law against those things. Galatians 5:22-23
What does kindness mean? Be nice to people! What does goodness mean? Do good things for people!
Often when we study words in the Bible, we search for a deep meaning. We look for a new understanding about the word, maybe some unique insight, something that will open the Bible passage like a key opening a lock.
I think sometimes we do that a little too much. Kindness very simply means being nice to people. Be kind. Not mean. Not rude. Not angry. Be kind and nice. We can say the same thing about goodness; do good things for people, not bad.
The Holy Spirit is the source of those gifts as He grows kindness and goodness in you. As we study about the fruit of the Spirit, we’re going to take those two words together, kindness and goodness, because their meanings are so much the same.
But they aren’t exactly the same. What is difference between kind and good? I’ll explain the difference this way. Kindness is attitude, goodness is action. In your heart you are kind, and that kind attitude leads you do good for others. The attitude of kindness leads to the action of doing good. Another word for kindness can be mercy. Mercy and kindness are the same thing.
We’ll look at two examples of kindness in the Bible. Romans 2:4 says, Do you disrespect God’s great kindness and favor? Do you disrespect God when he is patient with you? Don’t you realize that God’s kindness is meant to turn you away from your sins?
God’s kindness and mercy lead you repent. When we sin against Him, does God quickly become angry and punish us? No. He loves us. He is kind to us and has mercy on us. His mercy and kindness work in us and lead us to repent of our sin.
The second passage is from Titus 3:4-5, However, when God our Savior made his kindness and love for humanity appear, He saved us, but not because of anything we had done to gain his approval. Instead, because of His mercy He saved us through the washing in which the Holy Spirit gives us new birth and renewal.
When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us. There again, you see kindness is His attitude towards you. Not to judge you or punish you. Not angry, but loving, kind, and merciful. His intention is to save you, and He did that through Jesus.
The Holy Spirit puts that attitude of kindness in you. God has mercy you and you have mercy on others. When someone sins against you, you don’t get angry and punish them. God’s mercy in your heart and His kindness lead you to forgive that person and reconcile with them.
That may feel a little strange because this world wants revenge and punishment. But we don’t follow the world. God has put His love into your hearts. That gives us kindness and mercy for other people, and that leads to good actions.
You know the Golden Rule? Matthew 7:12 says, In everything, do to others what you would want them to do to you.
If you go shopping and you are leaving the store, your arms are full of bags and you come to the door, you would like it if a person opens the door for you, right? The same, when you are at the door and you see a person coming and they could use help, you open the door for them.
But being good is much more than opening doors for people. Goodness means doing good for all people, whether they deserve it or not. Do good for your friends. Do good for your enemies. Do good for all people. That is love and mercy! We show it in our actions, because God put that in our hearts, the same as He is kind and merciful and good to us.
God bless you to live and show those gifts He gave you!
