They have little energy to spare for kindness or compassion. There are numerous Bible verses about kindness, but still, we underestimate its importance.
We live in hard times. People can be cruel. Many are weary and worn down themselves. They have little energy to spare for kindness or compassion. There are numerous Bible verses on kindness, but still, we underestimate its importance.
I knew a man who was tough as nails. He’d grown up in foster homes and now, as an adult, had forged his own way. As a single father, it was vital for him to teach his children independence. Life is hard and he wanted them to be harder.
One day he called me, his voice breaking uncharacteristically. He’d been one minute late arriving at school with his children. Rather than allow for 60 seconds, the school aide scowled at him, shook her head, and pointed harshly toward the office. She showed no compassion for the struggle of a single father managing a morning with many children. He was trying so hard to do the right thing and her unkindness embarrassed him, driving him nearly to tears, and crushed his spirit. He drove off and kept his children home that day. It was a small incident but with multiple stressors at work in his life, this moment of unkindness hurt him deeply. He called to talk it through, and I marveled at the effect of a single unkind word on this grown man.
Bible Verses about Kindness to Treat Others by the Golden Standard
“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony”Colossians 3:12-14 ESV.
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV.
“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue” Proverbs 31:26 ESV.
“A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself” Proverbs 11:17 ESV.
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” Ephesians 4:30-32 ESV.
“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” Galatians 5:19-24 ESV.
“Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off” Romans 11:22 ESV.
“Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” Romans 2:4 ESV.
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8 ESV.
“Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor” Proverbs 21:21 ESV.
Why Is Kindness Important in Our Christian Walk?
Christians are called to be light in a dark world. God has made us to be a people set apart, different, and more like Jesus than those who don’t know Him. The harder and crueler the world becomes, the more important it is for us to be kind.
When people who don’t follow Jesus encounter Christians, we represent Him to them. Many already feel guilty, rejected, and unworthy. If we aren’t kind, they may conclude that God would also treat them unkindly, as they feel they deserve. If we exhibit kindness, it may soften their hearts to the gospel of Christ.
It’s also important to exhibit kindness to one another in the church. Families get to know one another well—warts and all. The church is a family and as we grow together, we also get to know one another in vulnerable moments. Kindness and compassion offered in those moments will build relationships and foster unity. We can speak truth to one another and extend correction while still using words and attitudes that are kind. If, instead, we’re harsh or unkind when other Christians are vulnerable, we’re more likely to sow division and discouragement.
Kindness, like love, can be misunderstood to be a sign of softness or weakness. We resist offering it out of fear of being misused or taken advantage of. We confuse kindness with a willingness to compromise truth. And yet, Jesus was kind. Jesus exhibited compassion even as He delivered truth and told them to repent. The Bible says that love is kind. It also says that love is as strong as death. Every act of kindness, no matter how small, can be like a flickering candle of light in the face of dark cruelty and meanness. The kindness of God is meant to lead us to repentance. To represent His kindness to others can be used to do the same.
Who Are Examples of People Who Showed Kindness in the Bible?
Naomi is a woman from the Bible who had suffered a great loss. She’d left Israel during a famine hoping to find food for her family in another land. Instead, while she was there, she lost her husband and both her sons to sickness and death. Naomi grew bitter and told both her daughters-in-law to leave her and return to their families. One did, but Ruth showed kindness to Naomi and faithfulness to Naomi’s God. She stayed with Naomi, returning with her to Israel. Ruth’s kindness was repaid by the kindness of a man named, Boaz. He became her kinsman-redeemer. He married Ruth, took care of Naomi, restored their favor amongst their people, and fathered a child who would become an ancestor of Jesus Christ.
In Luke 7, Jesus witnessed the grief of a widow in the town of Nain who had just lost her only son. Luke says that Jesus “had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’” (Luke 7:13b). Then, He raised her son to life.
Kindness and compassion are the seeds for great kingdom works and ways. To retain kindness and compassion in a hard world is an act of strength that can only be accomplished with the power of Christ through the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. There’s nothing weak or compromising about that.
A Prayer to Fill Us with Kindness and Compassion
Father God, You are kind, full of compassion, and overflowing with love. You are also strong, holy, and true. Make me more like You. In the face of a world growing colder and crueler, teach me to cultivate a kind, generous heart. Thank You for Your kindness toward me and Your compassion in sending Jesus to secure my salvation. Help me show that kindness to my family, church friends, neighbors, and the world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Further Reading
Bible Verses About Kindness in a Society of Disagreement
Top Bible Verses about Kindness
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