Week 5 Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness
Hello everyone!! We are halfway through our 9-week discussion. We’ve already gone over love, joy, peace, and longsuffering. Today, we will examine the fruit: kindness. Each week, as we explore a new fruit, we see how it is connected to the previous weeks. There is no coincidence that the first listed fruit is love. Throughout the last 4 weeks, we can recognize how operating in agape love enables us to be spiritually fruitful. To produce this fruit, it’s vital to start with love, and then the others build upon it. This week’s discussion is no different. In order to extend kindness to others, we need love, peace, and longsuffering. These fruit are incorporated when we: (1) walk in the Spirit, (2) put off the old man and its deeds, and in return put on the new man, (3) walk in love, (4) walk in forgiveness, and (5) maintain our inner peace and peace with others.
What is Needed to Show Kindness to Others
(1) Walk in the Spirit
**Scripture posted separately-Galatians 5:16-26**
In the passage of scripture, it shows us how walking in the Spirit allows us to produce spiritual fruit. As believers, it’s important that we understand the Spirit and the flesh have desires that are contrary to one another. What the Spirit desires, the flesh resists, and what the flesh lusts after is against the Spirit. The two natures are always in opposition. But in order to be fruitful, we need to walk in the Spirit. When we do so, we are resisting the flesh, not fulfilling its lust. Consequentially, when we decide to operate in the works of the flesh, it not only prevents us from producing fruit, it causes us to forfeit our inheritance in the kingdom of God. We must choose if we are willing to face those consequences by allowing our sinful flesh to dictate our lives. Instead, when we walk in the Spirit, we have the ability to produce the fruit of the Spirit. In verse 24, we see that as those who belong to Christ, we are to put to death the flesh along with its passions and desires. Once we are saved, we should be Spirit-led, not driven by our flesh. Even though our inner man is regenerated, our flesh will war against all things pertaining to the Spirit.
Our spiritual walk is strengthened as we build up our spirit man. There are different ways we can be intentional in accomplishing this. We can do so when we read and meditate on the Word of God. In prayer, it cultivates a time of communing with the Father. Through our praise and worship, it causes our minds to be centered on YAH. When we prioritize building up our spirit man, we are able to yield to the Spirit rather than giving in to the persuasion of our flesh. The stronger our spirit becomes, the less of a hold our flesh has on us, influencing the indulgence in sinful behavior. With our lives being led by the Spirit of God rather than the flesh, we can put off the old man and put on the new man with its regenerated nature.
(2) Put off the Old Man and its Deeds ➡️ Put on the New Man
When we walk in the Spirit, it enables us to put off our old man and its sinful nature. As believers, regenerated by the Spirit of God, our nature changes. Our desires become aligned with God. As we seek after the Father and draw closer to Him, there is a noticeable distinction. When our mind is renewed in the Word, meditating in the Truth, we can operate in holiness. This area takes intentionality. We must be willing to let go of the former nature–the way we lived prior to salvation. We can not cherish and hold on to carnality. Carnality will never yield Godly results; and we can not expect that it’ll enable us to produce spiritual fruit. So we should put on the new man that is renewed. In Colossians 3, it details the nature we are to put on; and we now have the awareness of how we ought to live. As YAH’s children, we are able to display Godly behavior. In yielding to the Holy Spirit, we put on Christ’s nature that is modeled for us. It is two-fold; we first make the decision to imitate Christ, and with assistance from the Holy Spirit, He gives us the ability to do so.
(3) Walk in Love
After we have put off our old nature and in return put on the new man with its new nature we need to walk in love. Love is a vital aspect of being able to produce any spiritual fruit. In order to show kindness, we must have genuine and fervent love for others. When we display kindness in and of itself is an act of love. We see in John 13, our Savior commanding us to love one another. The way we love reflects who we belong to. The former nature of anger, wrath, malice, hatred, and contention is put off, and we can walk in love. As followers of Christ, we’re to model God’s love before the world. **To have a brief refresher on how agape love should be expressed is given in I Corinthians 13:4-8a, Romans 12:9-10, and I John 4.
(4) Walk in Forgiveness
As believers, we can more easily walk in forgiveness when we are not harboring offenses and walking around in bitterness, resentment, and contempt. Conflicts occur that cause a rift in relationships. But in these situations, it requires us to patiently endure with others. That is why operating with forbearance is a must. Consequently, if we walk in unforgiveness holding grudges, deciding to keep a record of wrongs it hinders us from producing kindness. If we habitually rehearse what someone has done, the offense in our heart blocks our ability to love, furthermore affecting our ability to show kindness. So when conflict and offenses arise, we must decide if we will walk in unforgiveness or choose to forgive to maintain the peace in the relationship.
(5) Maintain Our Inner Peace and Peace with Others
In our ability to show kindness to others, we need to maintain our inner peace and peace with others. When we show kindness, it may not always elicit the response we hope. When our motives are pure, we should display kindness regardless of how receptive the person is. That is why it’s necessary for what we do to be done in love, not for recognition and the praises of men. We need an inward resolve of peace because there may be occasions when the act of kindness is not received well or the other person may come across as ungrateful or unappreciative. In those moments, we should not be deterred from extending kindness as led by the Holy Spirit. Also, when maintaining peaceful relationships with others, not harboring any animosity makes it easier to show kindness. If we have made the decision to forgive for any wrongs committed and walk in love, there is peace in our interactions, allowing us to effortlessly show kindness. With that understanding is why we need to walk in the Spirit to allow Him to lead us in our way of expressing genuine kindness.
Ways to Extend Kindness to Others
- Encouragement
- Finding ways to encourage someone
- Encouraging Words
- Thoughtful Phone call or text message
- Visiting the person
- Finding ways to encourage someone
- Showing up for Others: Being present with someone as they navigate difficult times and changing seasons in his/her life
- Giving people the space to express themselves while being supportive and a listening ear
- Showing concern and giving a comforting word to someone who is grieving the loss of a loved one or a major transition in life.
- Providing acts of service
- Providing a meal for someone who has recently had surgery and is unable to cook for him/herself
- Helping out with household tasks for someone who needs assistance
- Vacuuming, doing laundry, dusting, cleaning, cooking, etc.
- Providing care for someone battling a major illness/disease (serve in your reasonable capacity)
- Driving the elderly or those without a vehicle to complete their errands.
- Grocery shopping, doctor’s appointment, etc.
- **In providing acts of service, we don’t do so with the expectation of receiving praise for our good deeds. But we should do so from a pure, compassionate heart with a genuine desire to be a blessing to others.**
RECAP
What is Needed to Show Kindness to Others
- Walk in the Spirit
- Galatians 5:16-26
- When we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the flesh’s lustful desires.
- Walking in the Spirit enables us to produce the fruit of the Spirit.
- Putting off the Old Man with it Deeds and Putting on the New Man
- Colossians 3:5-15
- Put off the old man with its sinful nature
- Put on the new man that is renewed in the Word of God
- Carnality will never yield Godly results; and we can not expect that it’ll enable us to produce spiritual fruit.
- Putting to death the works of the flesh (carnality) + Building up our spirit (strengthening the spirit man) + Walking in the Spirit = Producing spiritual fruit
- Walk in Love
- John 13:34-35 and I Peter 4:8
- In order to show kindness, we must have genuine and fervent love for others.
- Walk in Forgiveness
- Ephesians 4:32 and Matthew 6:14-15
- When we walk in unforgiveness holding grudges, keeping a record of wrongs, that hinders us from producing kindness.
- Make the decision: To walk in unforgiveness or choose to forgive when conflict and offenses arise.
- Maintain Our Inner Peace and Peace with Others
- Isaiah 26:3-4 and Psalm 34:14
- Maintain our inner peace regardless of how the person responds to our extension of kindness.
- When we choose to forgive for any wrongs done and walk in love, there is peace in our interactions with others, allowing us to effortlessly show kindness.
Put it into Practice: Personal Reflection
- Are there areas in your life that are hindering you from showing kindness to others?
- Challenge: Find a way that you can extend an act of kindness to someone.
**Scriptures used from the New King James Bible and the authorized King James Bible
**Definitions used from the Oxford, Cambridge, and Merriam-Webster Dictionaries
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