What Is Kindness? ???

[Bible Speaks]

What Is Kindness?

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Kindness is displayed by taking an active interest in the welfare of others. It is shown by helpful acts and considerate words.

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 To be kind means to do good rather than to do anything harmful. A kind person is friendly, gentle, sympathetic, and gracious. He has a generous, considerate attitude toward others. 

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The apostle Paul admonished Christians: “Clothe yourselves with the tender affections of compassion, kindness, lowliness of mind, mildness, and long-suffering.” (Colossians 3:12) Kindness, then, is part of every true Christian’s figurative attire.

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Jehovah God has taken the lead in showing kindness. As Paul said, it was when “the kindness and the love for man on the part of our Savior, God, was manifested” that “he saved us through the bath that brought us to life and through the making of us new by holy spirit.” (Titus 3:4, 5) 

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God ‘bathes,’ or cleanses, anointed Christians in Jesus’ blood, applying the merit of Christ’s ransom sacrifice in their behalf. They are also made new through holy spirit, becoming “a new creation” as spirit-begotten sons of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17) 

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Moreover, God’s kindness and love extend to “a great crowd,” who have “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”—Revelation 7:9, 14; 1 John 2:1, 2.

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Kindness is also part of the fruitage of God’s holy spirit, or active force. Paul said: “The fruitage of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22, 23) So, then, should not those led by God’s spirit show kindness to others?