Bible Study 6: The Fruit of the Spirit - Kindness

6.1 Key themes⤒🔗

True kindness is doing good to someone, even if that person cannot do anything for you.
God the Father and Jesus Christ showed kindness to us, even while we were God’s enemies.
The Holy Spirit changes us to be kind in every situation.
When we show kindness to people, it is God’s kindness that we are showing.

6.2 Galatians 5:22-23←⤒🔗

^5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

^5:23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

6.3 – 2 Samuel 9←⤒🔗

^9:2 Now there was a servant from Saul’s house named Ziba, so he was summoned to David. The king asked him, 'Are you Ziba?' He replied, 'At your service.'

^9:3 The king asked, 'Is there not someone left from Saul’s family, that I may extend God’s kindness to him?' Ziba said to the king, 'One of Jonathan’s sons is left; both of his feet are crippled.'

^9:4 The king asked him, 'Where is he?' Ziba told the king, 'He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.

^9:5 So King David had him brought from the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.

^9:6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed low with his face toward the ground. David said, 'Mephibosheth?' He replied, 'Yes, at your service.'

^9:7 David said to him, 'Don’t be afraid, because I will certainly extend kindness to you for the sake of Jonathan your father. I will give back to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will be a regular guest at my table.'

^9:8 Then Mephibosheth bowed and said, 'Of what importance am I, your servant, that you show regard for a dead dog like me?'

^9:9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s attendant, and said to him, 'Everything that belonged to Saul and to his entire house I hereby give to your master’s grandson.

^9:10 You will cultivate the land for him – you and your sons and your servants. You will bring its produce and it will be food for your master’s grandson to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will be a regular guest at my table.' (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

^9:11 Ziba said to the king, 'Your servant will do everything that my lord the king has instructed his servant to do.' So Mephibosheth was a regular guest at David’s table, just as though he were one of the king’s sons.

^9:12 Now Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. All the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants.

^9:13 Mephibosheth was living in Jerusalem, for he was a regular guest at the king’s table. But both his feet were crippled.

6.4 Kindness to a “dead dog”←⤒🔗

Mephibosheth was the grandson of Saul, David’s greatest enemy. Saul and Mephibosheth’s father, Jonathan, were dead. David was now a mighty king. When David called Mephibosheth to him, Mephibosheth was afraid. He knew what his grandfather Saul had done to David. He also could not defend himself. He was crippled in both feet.

But David had been good friends with Mephibosheth’s father, Jonathan. They had promised each other to take care of each other’s families. David told Mephibosheth, “Don’t be afraid, for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan” (2 Samuel 9:7).

David gave a large piece of land to Mephibosheth and he said that Mephibosheth could eat at his (David’s) table for the rest of his life. Mephibosheth was very surprised. He asked, Who am I, “that you should notice a dead dog like me?"

This is true kindness. It is to do good to someone, even if that person cannot do anything for you.

6.5 God’s kindness to us←⤒🔗

What David did for Mephibosheth is a picture of what Jesus Christ did for us. Jesus Christ is the Great King. Although we were his enemies, he gave us a place in his Father’s house.

God the Father is glad to have us in his family! He is “kind to the ungrateful and the wicked” (Luke 6:35). He is especially kind to us, the people whom he chose to save. In Titus 3:3-5 we read:

“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.”

We were also “dead dogs” like Mephibosheth. But what a great kindness God showed to us. He made us his own children. Just like Mephibosheth, we are treated as “one of the king’s sons” (verse 11).

6.6 Changed to be kind←⤒🔗

Remember: When God makes you his child, then the Holy Spirit makes you more and more like God’s Son Jesus Christ. This means that the Holy Spirit is also changing you to be kind.

Kindness must be part of everything you do. It must be like a piece of clothing that you wear. That is why Colossians 3:12 says, “Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

When you clothe yourself with kindness, you will be kind in every situation. Here are some situations in which God calls you to be kind:

Be kind in all the words that you speak (Proverbs 12:25).
Be kind to your family. Titus 2:4-5 says that older women in the church must teach younger women to love their families and to be kind.
Be kind to each other in the church. Ephesians 4:31-32 says, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger…. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Be kind to people who are poor, sick, or suffering. Think of Jesus who made time for sick people, for hungry people, and for sinners. Proverbs 14:31 says that “whoever is kind to the needy honours God.”
Be kind when people insult you or treat you badly (1 Corinthians 4:12-14). In this way you can teach them about God’s kindness.
Be kind when you are telling someone the gospel. This was Paul’s attitude when he preached the gospel (2 Corinthians 6:6).

6.7 Whose kindness?←⤒🔗

Let us look again at the question that David asked to Saul’s old servant, Ziba. He asked him, "Is there no one still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show God's kindness?" (2 Samuel 9:3).

When we show kindness to people, we are not showing our own kindness. We are showing God’s kindness. It is God who was first kind to us. He forgave us and helped us when we were “dead dogs.” He is the one who gives us life. He is the one who gives rain and sunshine to millions of people every day.

God is the one who works through his Holy Spirit, to put kindness in our hearts. Ask yourself, “How can I show God’s kindness today?”