The Fruit of Kindness

Happy Sunday! Today we've made it to fruit number five in our study of the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians chapter 5. Thus far we have looked at the fruit of love, joy, peace, and patience. Today we look at the fruit of kindness.

When George H.W. Bush ran for president in 1988, he called for a kinder, gentler nation. Do you think that has happened? Me neither. It seems much worse is getting harder and harder to find in our society.

As Christians, we are called to be kind. Frederick Buechner once said, "If you want to be holy, be kind." That is true. Have you ever run into an unkind Christian? It's confusing, isn't it?

I've heard that there are two reasons that people have not decided to become a Christian. One is they never met a Christian, and number two, they have met a Christian. Kindness is so important. It's likely that more people have become Christians because of the kindness of others than by all the theology in this world. It's also likely that many have not come to Christ because they were not treated in a kind way.

If we are walking in the Spirit, we will be kind. Today we're going to look at a story where it appears that Jesus is not kind. The story is found in the 15th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. I begin in verses 21 and 22.

Matthew tells us, "Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, 'Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.'"

Can you blame the woman? As parents, we will do anything for our children. She needed help. She heard that Jesus was in town. It's likely that this woman had heard about Jesus and his healing and his miracles, so she comes to him for help.

It's odd what happens next. I now read from Matthew 15, verse 23: "But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. 'Tell her to go away,' they said. 'She's bothering us with all her begging.'"

It's interesting that Matthew tells us that Jesus didn't answer, not one word. Why? Why is Jesus ignoring the woman? I think he's upset. No, not at the woman. I think he's upset with his disciples.

They want her gone. She's a bother to them. Jesus had been teaching them about love and kindness, and here they have neither. In the chapter before this, Jesus had fed thousands of people with five loaves and two fish. Were the disciples now thinking that they were celebrities who only performed for packed houses?

They had no time for this rude, loud, Gentile, begging woman. What Jesus does next seems cruel. In verse 24, Jesus speaks to her, and this is what he said: "Jesus told her, 'I was sent only to help God's lost sheep, the people of Israel.'" Now, that doesn't seem very kind, does it? I bet the disciples were happy that Jesus said that.

Why did Jesus say that? Because in his ministry he'd already helped non-Jews. The Samaritan woman comes to mind. He had helped Gentiles before. Why not now?

Now, this lady was persistent. We are told in verse 25, "But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, 'Lord, help me!'" Can't you see her there at his feet, begging? The next word out of Jesus's mouth are interesting and confusing and close to rude, but they're designed for a brilliant point.

In verse 26, "Jesus responded, 'It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.'" That's what he said. Wow. What did he call her? I wonder if the disciples were happy now. Were they high-fiving one another and saying, "That's telling her, Jesus"?

You know, I wonder if before Jesus said, "It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs," he winked at her. Or maybe he whispered, "Watch the 12 guys behind me." The woman responds in verse 27: "That's true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their master's table." Immediately, "Jesus said, 'Dear woman, your faith is great. Your request is granted.'" In verse 28 tells us that her daughter was instantly healed. That's the story.

Why did Jesus talk to her like this? I think I know. I think it was to teach his disciples a lesson, his disciples then and there and his disciples here and now. I'm talking about us now. We are called to be kind. We are called to be kind to everyone. It makes an eternal difference.

Not too long ago, I was in a business, and the man behind the counter asked me for my name to fill out the invoice. I said, "David Shivers." He looked at me, and he put his pen down, looked me in the eye, and said, "Did you go to Sandy Springs High School?" I said, "I did." He came around the counter, shook my hand, and gave me a big hug.

He told me his name, and I remembered him. He told me that his high school years were not very good, but he remembered that I was kind to him, and he wanted to thank me. Now, this occurred 40 years after we had graduated, and he remembered.

Dale Carnegie said, "Perhaps you'll forget tomorrow the kind words you say today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime." That is true. People remember. Our world needs more kindness. Our churches need more kindness.

If you're truly a child of God, you will walk in the Spirit and be kind. Albert Schweitzer said, "Constant kindness can accomplish much. As much as the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate." The world needs our examples of kindness. Bless you as you spread kindness wherever you are.

Let's pray together. Lord, help us to be known for our kindness, to those in our families, to those in our neighborhoods, to those at work, to whoever we encounter. Lord, help the kindness to just flow from us, because you've been so good to us. Thank you for the fruit of the Spirit that take us from who we are to who you want us to be, and help us this week to be who you want us to be. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

God bless.