AV 19
Kindness to Others
“An overseer, then, should be … kind to strangers” (1Tim 3:2)
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? 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.” Many 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, emphasis mine)
©2021
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