22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

KINDNESS

It’s interesting that the Apostle Paul would list kindness as a fruit of the Spirit way back in the First Century AD. In the fruit basket of active spiritual living, kindness seems right at home alongside love, joy, peace and the like.

It is also interesting to me that kindness still has an attraction and following in our day and time. According to Wikipedia, “a random act of kindness is a selfless act performed by a person or people wishing either to assist or to cheer up an individual person or people. The phrase may have been coined by Anne Herbert, who says that she wrote “Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty” on a place mat at a Sausalito restaurant in 1982 or 1983.[1][2] Another story credits much of this phrase to Bakersfield College professor Chuck Wall of Bakersfield, California.[3][4 “ I don’t know if we should credit Anne Herbert or Chuck Wall (or Paul) with this recent interest in kindness. One might hope that they were all being led by the Spirit.

We are following God’s Spirit and allowing its fruit to ripen in our lives as we act kindly toward others. A child shows kindness as they stop to pat a puppy on the head. A homeowner shows kindness when they bring a cup of cold water out to share with the person who is mowing their yard. Kindness is known by both the sender and recipient when a smile is broadcast from one person to another in a crowded room or hallway. People who are filled with the Spirit seem to ooze kindness. Is kindness overflowing in your life today?

Prayer

Gracious God, you have showered kindness upon me, as you have made , saved, and claimed me as your child. Help me to show kindness to every person I encounter today, so that they may rejoice in the fruit of your Spirit. Amen