Day 5: Kindness in a Harsh World

Key Passage:

Luke 6:35-36 (NLT) "Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate."

Related Passages:

• Romans 2:4
• 2 Timothy 2:24-25
• Titus 3:4-5

Devotional:

In a world increasingly characterized by harshness, division, and dehumanization, kindness has become a radical act. Today we explore how Spirit-empowered kindness can be a powerful witness in our polarized culture.

Jesus' command to love our enemies and do good to them directly challenges our natural instincts. When attacked, we want to counterattack. When hurt, we want to hurt back. When disrespected, we want to withhold respect. But Jesus calls us to a different response—one that reflects God's own kindness toward those who don't deserve it.

Romans 2:4 reveals something profound about kindness: "Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can't you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?" God's kindness isn't just niceness; it's a transformative force designed to lead people to repentance and change. When we show kindness, especially to those who don't deserve it, we participate in God's redemptive work.

This doesn't mean we never speak truth or address wrongdoing. 2 Timothy 2:24-25 instructs: "A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people's hearts, and they will learn the truth." Notice how kindness, teaching, patience, and gentle correction work together. Kindness without truth can enable destructive behavior, while truth without kindness often fails to reach hearts.

Titus 3:4-5 reminds us that our own salvation came through God's kindness: "When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy." This humbling reality should inform how we treat others—we extend kindness not because people have earned it but because we ourselves have received unearned kindness.

In practical terms, kindness might look like:

• Listening respectfully to someone with different political views
• Responding to online hostility with gentle words rather than matching the tone
• Serving someone who has hurt you
• Speaking well of others behind their backs
• Giving without expectation of return or recognition
• These small acts create ripples that can gradually transform relationships, communities, and even cultures.

Call to Action:

Identify someone who represents "the other" to you—perhaps someone with opposing political views, different religious beliefs, or someone who has hurt or offended you. Commit to showing intentional kindness to this person this week. It might be a thoughtful message, a small gift, a genuine compliment, or simply listening without interrupting or arguing. As you extend kindness, pay attention to how it affects both the recipient and your own heart.

Reflection Questions:

1. Who are the "enemies" or difficult people in my life to whom God is calling me to show kindness?
2. How has God's kindness transformed my own life and heart?
3. In what situations do I find it most challenging to respond with kindness rather than harshness?

Prayer:

Compassionate Father, thank You for Your kindness toward me when I was still Your enemy, living in rebellion against You. Your kindness led me to repentance and transformation. Forgive me for the times I've responded to others with judgment, harshness, or indifference rather than the kindness You've shown me. I specifically lift up my relationship with [name the person], asking for supernatural kindness that goes beyond my natural capacity. Help me to see this person through Your eyes and to be an instrument of Your redemptive kindness. May my small acts of kindness create ripples of Your love that extend far beyond what I can see. In Jesus' name, Amen.