I saw a sign recently that said, “A little kindness goes a long way.” It made me wonder just what the person that wrote that might be thinking. Just what is a “little kindness”?
When I think about questions like that, I like to turn to the scriptures to see if an answer is there. I think, in this case, we can find more than one example.
One of the most obvious acts of kindness is found in the book of Ruth. Ruth was a Moabite, the daughter-in-law of Naomi, a Jewess. When her husband died, she chose to return to Naomi’s people declaring that she would accept Naomi’s lifestyle as her own. We have the beautiful scripture in Ruth 1:16-17 that is so often repeated in weddings.
After their return to the land of Judah, Ruth subjected herself to the laws of the Jews, which included the process for finding her a new husband. Boaz, the kinsman that eventually became her husband, spoke of Ruth and the behavior she exhibited by saying: “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich” (Ruth 3:10 ESV).
Ruth’s kindness was expressed in her feelings of responsibility toward her mother-in-law and her willingness to submit to the standards of the Jewish people. Her kindness was found in respect for her first husband, for the kinship that existed in this family, and in her character.
After the death of King Saul, David inquired of the Lord if he should go to the cities of Judah. God told him that he should, and David did as the Lord said, and went to the cities of Judah where the men of Judah anointed him king.
Some of the men of Jabesh-gilead had buried King Saul, and David praised them for what they had done. II Samuel 2:5 says, “May you be blessed by the Lord, because you showed this loyalty to Saul your lord and buried him.” The word “loyalty” is translated “kindness” in the King James Version. These men showed kindness to King Saul, even in death, by giving him a proper burial.
David then said, “Now may the Lord show steadfast love and faithfulness to you. And I will do good to you because you have done this thing” (II Samuel 2:6). “Love and faithfulness” is translated “kindness and truth” in the King James Version. The point being that kindness involves loyalty, love, and faithfulness.
Example number 3 is found in the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah records a time when the Children of Israel were assembled to hear the reading of the law and to repent of their transgressions. They knew how they had become a disobedient people because they were reminded of the many times they had failed to obey God since their leaving the land of Egypt.
Even with all their disobedience, God had taken care of them. In Nehemiah 9:17 it is recorded, “They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.” The King James Version says, “…but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness…”
The kindness God showed was in being ready to pardon them, being merciful, and slow to get angry. So we see other characteristics of kindness.
The book of Proverbs provides another way in which we can show kindness. In speaking of the virtuous woman, the writer said, “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue” (Proverbs 31:26). In order to be counted virtuous, one must speak with kindness.
In the book of Luke, there is a story of a lawyer who tried to trick Jesus by asking Him whom we should consider neighbors. Jesus told the lawyer the story of a Samaritan man, a man considered unworthy of any recognition by the Jews.
The Samaritan stopped to help a man that had been robbed, beaten, and left for dead, one that had also been ignored by two religious Jews. Jesus said of the Samaritan, “But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion” (Luke 10:33). His compassion came as soon as he saw the man, and he acted on that compassion. Compassion is an act of kindness.
When the apostle, Peter, expressed those qualities we should add to our faith he said, “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness, with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love” (II Peter 1:7). “Brotherly affection” is “brotherly kindness” in the King James.
All of these examples tell us that kindness is respect, loyalty, love, faithfulness, forgiveness, mercy, being slow to anger, the way we speak, brotherly affection, and compassion. So if we show even a little kindness, think of the joy we can bring to someone’s life.
I don’t know what the person had in mind when he wrote, “A little kindness goes a long way”, but just a little kindness will surely make a difference.
Sandra Oliver