Resolutions
Lesson 2

Lesson Two

I Am Resolved To Be Kind

Sometimes it's hard to try something new. We feel more comfortable sitting back and staying out of the way. Many people find themselves always needing to be fed, and never doing any feeding of anyone else. The statistics in the church today on involvement go something like this: Ten percent of our people do ninety percent of the work. This means ninety percent of our people are sitting on the sidelines waiting for their opportunity to get started in a service to the whole body and to our Lord. Many times our personalities hinder us from taking that first step. Being bashful or shy are common personality traits, but do not relinquish us from our responsibilities to serve God and others. Being loud or quiet, short or tall, we still have responsibilities to God.

Jesus was kind:

  1. (John 8:1-11) How did God show his kindness and his understanding of the woman's circumstance?

  2. (John 4:5-end) Did the woman at the well expect kindness from Jesus? Did she deserve it? How did she respond?

  3. (John 11:32) How did Jesus respond to Lazarus' sisters while they were mourning?

Jesus was kind to people who had no idea of their worth or importance to God. Jesus was kind to people even when there was nothing to gain or exploit. Do you ever feel that people are only nice to you when they need something from you? Do you ever feel someone exploiting or taking advantage of a personal weakness? Has anyone ever done something for you so that you would "owe them"?

Jesus loved people and was kind to people because His Father was kind (John 1:14,18; 12:48). Jesus taught (Matt 5:46) in the Sermon on the Mount "If you love those who love you, what have you done?" If I love or am kind just to repay a debt or keep things even, then I am no better than godless people. When kindness is shown in return of receiving an act of kindness, it can either promote or destroy the act of kindness. If we are only kind to those who we deem "worthy" of our kindness, the kindness will cease at the first hint of trouble, because then the person becomes "unworthy" of our kindness. If we express kindness only to persons we classify as "worthy," we permit these persons to hinder our helpfulness to those with genuine needs, and keep Christians from becoming all things to all men. (1 Corinthians 8:13 -- Because we don't always agree, not even in the church.)

Who am I to be kind to?

  1. 1 John 2:7-11 says love your brother.
  2. 1 John 3:13-17 says love those in need.
  3. Ephesians 4:32 says to be kind to those who have wronged you.

Why am I to be kind to those who are without God?

Am I to be kind to those who are different?

Are we not all different?

How can we show kindness to everyone?

The simple conclusion is this: Kindness should be shared as Jesus would have shared it. If giving a cup of water to someone thirsty would honor God, do so, and in the same manner, feed those with the Word of God who are in need of it.


Copyright © 2003
Tom Benincosa & West-Ark Church of Christ

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