Jesus teaches kindness through radical love, even for enemies, emphasizing actions over words, compassion, forgiveness, and serving others as the ultimate example, urging followers to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" and to be like God by showing unconditional love and mercy to all, as seen in his own life and teachings.
Kindness is the way to show love and compassion to those in need, and it is what we are all called to practice as followers of Jesus. Ephesians teaches us to “be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32 NIV).
Ephesians 4:31-5:1 says this: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour 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.
Jesus consistently raises the bar. He doesn't say “be nice to everyone,” He says “love your enemies.” Living in a country where we are regarded as a world power, we have little concrete sense of our enemies because they are distant and we are removed from them.
Kindness is selfless, compassionate, and merciful; its greatest power revealed in practice to our enemies and amongst the least of these. Love your neighbor; show kindness to EVERYONE. For a perfect emblem of Biblical kindness, we need look no further than Jesus.
Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Kindness, or doing good, often means putting other people's needs before our own. It could be by giving up our seat on a bus to someone who might need it more, or offering to make a cup of tea for someone at work. Evidence shows that helping others can also benefit our own mental health and wellbeing.
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” This seems the most familiar version of the golden rule, highlighting its helpful and proactive gold standard.
Here are a few ways we ALL could show kindness and encourage someone else today:
They choose honest words that do not wound
Kindness is not the same as being nice all the time. Genuinely kind people can be direct. They can say no. They can give feedback. The difference is that they choose words that respect your humanity.
Kindness: The Fruit of the Spirit
Think back to Jesus' words in Luke 6:27. He tells us to love our enemies and do good to people who hate us. Again, this is how God treats us. He is benevolent, kind, and patient toward sinners like us.
The Act of Creation in Genesis 1 is an act of putting the chaos that pre-existed into good order. It is the same thing when God creates the living beings. That repeated phrase, according to their kind, is a way of saying that each sort of animal is to remain with its own kind and in its proper place within creation.
50 random acts of kindness you can do today
It's a supernaturally generous orientation of our hearts toward other people, even when they don't deserve it and don't love us in return. God himself is kind in this way. His kindness is meant to lead people to repentance (Romans 2:4), which implies they haven't yet turned to him, and are still his enemies.
Compassion: Jesus was incredibly compassionate. We see Him time and time again responding to the needs of the suffering: The sick were made well and the blind given sight (Luke 7:21) He liberated those who were bound by social injustice and prejudice (Mark 7:24-30; Luke 5:12-15; 7:36-50; 8:43-48; 10:38-42; 19:1-10)
We learn by standing atop the four pillars and exercising compassion, empathy, sympathy and forgiveness. The operative word is exercise. Like physical exercise where we improve when we do something so too it is with kindness.
The number 444 in relation to Jesus often signifies divine confirmation, spiritual protection, or a call to action, linking to themes like creation (number 4) and the Trinity (number 3), with interpretations pointing to God's presence, encouragement for spiritual growth, and the fulfillment of His purposes, seen by some as a sign of God's attention or a cycle of change. While not a direct, explicit code in the Bible, many believers connect the repetition of '4' (representing creation, the world, or stability) to Jesus's ministry and God's enduring truth, especially in angel number<>/nav>> and prophetic contexts.
The art of kindness involves harboring a spirit of helpfulness, being generous and considerate, and doing so without expecting anything in return. Rather than viewing it exclusively as an action, think of kindness as a quality of being you can cultivate. Giving kindness often is simple, free and health-enhancing.
The Law of Kindness is the Law of Love. Her mouth only speaks things that will bless and benefit others, even if it is a rebuke. She speaks the truth in love. She minds her own business and does not poke her nose into other people's affairs, but when asked, she speaks forth with skillful and godly wisdom.
Empathy, Generosity, Consistency, Courage/Resilience, Connectivity, Empowerment, Mindfulness/Self-Awareness, Authenticity, Respect, and Fairness.
We just happen to have a few:
#1 – We are too focused on ourselves
Researchers have long established that we're less apt to show kindness when we are in a hurry or busy. The reality is that very few of us are Good Samaritans all the time. Deadlines, time pressures and other stressors get in our way. We become too self-centered.
24+ Simple Acts of Kindness Examples