Av 19
Kindness to Others
“An overseer, then, should be
… kind to strangers” (1Tim 3:2 ISR)
Our 21st
century world is very much lacking in
simple kindness. Seldom do we see men
making an effort to hold a door open for a woman, and as far as waiting in a line,
there is little likelihood of a young person inviting an elderly individual to
go ahead of them. What about when we are
at the grocery store? How often do we
see someone with an overflowing cart allowing another with only two or three
items to go ahead of them? Highway
driving is another case in point: would there be such a thing as ‘road rage’ if
we all practiced kindness to each
other?
The Apostle Paul
was not suggesting a new qualification with this statement; this command to be ‘kind
to strangers’ is straight from the pages of Torah. Deu 10:19 tells us that we are to “love the stranger, for you were strangers in the
land of Mitsrayim.” All of us are fond of using the verse from 2Cor
3, which states that ‘we are the epistle read by all men’ (2Cor 3:2); however,
if we are not walking in kindness toward others, how is our epistle being read?
The individual seeking a place in leadership must
cultivate this fruit (Gal 5:22), to where it becomes ingrained in that person’s
character and personality. Please,
understand me when I say that I am not advocating using someone that is kind as
a door-mat or a kicking block. Kindness
with perception and discernment is critical; those of a mature walk in Torah
would naturally develop and refine these characteristics, with the help of the Ruach haKodesh, the Spirit of Elohim. As an example, to
show kindness to the one who is an alcoholic would be more along the line of
driving him/her to the AA meetings, rather than give them any kind of finances
that could then in turn be used to purchase alcohol.
May we all learn the lost practice of being
kind to one another, not just those
who are preparing for leadership. After
all, if we will eventually be living together in the Olam Haba, the world to come, should we not perfect these random acts
of kindness now?
“He has declared to you, O man, what is good. And what does יהוה require of you but to do right, and to love kindness, and to
walk humbly with your Elohim?” (Mic 6:8 ISR)
©2018
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