Kindness

God wants us to be less concerned with ourselves and our own desires than with larger issues.

By practicing kindness we learn one aspect of loving our brothers, which becomes a habitual way of engaging with those we come into contact.
 
Why does God ask us to be kind?
What are your thoughts on kindness...?

Our God is good and He is kind. Kindness is of the light and Kindness is a choice. Kindness must be seen, for it is a fruit of action. Compassion is of the mind and spirit, and mercy is compassion in action. Kindness requires love, mercy, tenderness, goodness, and compassion. To be kind is a choice that one makes. You can choose to be patient and tender; you can choose to be tender and kind. The fruit of kindness will grow in your lives if you will subdue the flesh and let the spirit within grow. Kindness is a powerful tool of light for light gives power unto light.
 
My KJV bible in Galatians 5:22 lists 'gentleness' as the fruit of the Spirit...what does yours say?

Is kindness the same as gentleness? Why are there so few gentlemen around these days? And ladies? I'm not sure I've ever really met a true gentlemen...so many men are violent and have horrible tempers...as that is the culture. I just know so many women who live in fear or ran away from their male partners because they were violent and hurt them.
 
My KJV bible in Galatians 5:22 lists 'gentleness' as the fruit of the Spirit...what does yours say?

Is kindness the same as gentleness? Why are there so few gentlemen around these days? And ladies? I'm not sure I've ever really met a true gentlemen...so many men are violent and have horrible tempers...as that is the culture. I just know so many women who live in fear or ran away from their male partners because they were violent and hurt them.

The Greek word in Galations 5:22 can also be translated "kindness".
I am sorry that you haven't met a true gentlemen. I share some words that I wrote about being a man that I shared with others a number of years ago. In it I mention handshakes.... I still will shake hands with any who desire as the virus does not deter me from handshakes or hugs.

Our Messiah, the Lord Jesus was made flesh and he lived among men. He was completely human but he did have the spirit of his Father without measure. He was not the 90 pound weakling that so many artists have rendered him to be. He was a man, and he was masculine and strong. He was a carpenter by trade and his hands were thick and powerful as were his wrists, his arms and his shoulders. He was perfect in mercy, love, tenderness, and kindness and he walked the earth without sin. My father is a man, and he taught me and my brothers how to be men, and he did this through his words and actions with other men and by setting a beautiful example in his words and actions toward our mother. I share three things with the men who will read my words this day. Greet all with a smile, a kind word and a firm handshake. We need to smile more as we greet one another, and we need to speak kind and gentle words unto all, and when we greet another man we should shake their hand with a firm handshake. A clammy, weak handshake that feels like someone handed you a dead fish is not the way a man should greet another man. Today we see young men apologizing for being male but men who pattern themselves after the example of our Messiah should not have to apologize for their gender. I will never apologize for my gender and I will never apologize for walking through life as a man. Men need to be men, and men need to set the example for their wives, their children and their grand-children, for being a man is a blessing and walking as our Lord Jesus walked is our calling.
 
Why does God ask us to be kind?
What are your thoughts on kindness...?

My KJV bible in Galatians 5:22 lists 'gentleness' as the fruit of the Spirit...what does yours say?

Is kindness the same as gentleness? Why are there so few gentlemen around these days? And ladies? I'm not sure I've ever really met a true gentlemen...so many men are violent and have horrible tempers...as that is the culture. I just know so many women who live in fear or ran away from their male partners because they were violent and hurt them.

Hello Lanolin;

Kindness is a Christian spirit and virtue of being generous of ourselves and our help. Gentleness is also a Christian spirit and virtue of being tender along with kindness. A slight distinction. Both are spirits of the fruit as you share in Galatians 5:22 but only gentleness is in the KJV. In two of my translation Bibles are the ESV and NIV, both include kindness and gentleness.

The reason you feel there are so few gentlemen is because, referring to men of God is this; many of them are home reading the Word, living productive lives - family, church ministry and their labor (job.), asking God to send them their future mate and exercise the fruit of the spirit. These men are not perfect, but strive to learn the characteristics and integrity of gentleness and kindness.

For example, the men here at Christian Forum Site are, in my discernment, gentlemen. From reading their posts they have a regard for their wives, children, the Christian community and unbelievers. If I felt any man here has a contentious spirit, as you say, violent and horrible tempers, God exposes the TRUTH, therefore, they can't hide behind a keyboard, and chances are they would not be in fellowship here. In the past God had already released a few who were bitter toward others who use to be members here.

The women here, and men, in my discernment, may have gotten past a bad relationship but from their posts I feel they have forgiven and moved on for the Kingdom.

Believers should not use cultures as a consolation for their principality of darkness, as the full chapter of Galatians 6 teaches us likewise our walk with Christ can be learned by all.

God bless you, Lanolin, and your whole family.
 
I don't like handshakes..I suppose thats what men do when they greet each other to see if they are any good at wrestling.
But I prefer a wave.

Women don't shake each others hands we greet each other with hugs, or smile. For children it would be high fives or fist bumps, never a handshake. People still do spit in their hands and shake them to seal a deal. So I'm not that keen on handshakes, its a strange custom.
 
One of the things thats a predictor of violence...if someone is really firm with their grip, they could wring your neck as thats what many men do to control their women..and most cases of male violence that kill women its has been by strangulation and choking.

I learned that if a man treats animals with cruelty they will also treat women and children who are physically weaker with cruelty.
If someone is kind with animals and looks after them, talks with them, doesn't need to use a whip etc...then they are gold. Shepherds look after their sheep they don't bash them up, but some false shepherds use fear and intimidation, and sheep dogs to keep their sheep in line. In NZ, shepherds (we don't have them, they are farmers) use barbed wire and electric fence of huge sections of land...as they can't be bothered actually looking after their sheep and knowing them by name as real shepherds do.
 
My KJV bible in Galatians 5:22 lists 'gentleness' as the fruit of the Spirit...what does yours say?

Is kindness the same as gentleness? Why are there so few gentlemen around these days? And ladies? I'm not sure I've ever really met a true gentlemen...so many men are violent and have horrible tempers...as that is the culture. I just know so many women who live in fear or ran away from their male partners because they were violent and hurt them.
Hey Lanolin, the type of violence your referring to here is Power/Control. We as human beings like to control our environment and the people in it. Your right about women, and also men use their children to control their wives. Rarely will a woman leave her children, and she will do all she can to protect them. We should always remember to give choice and decision making control back to women as soon as possible. Sometimes they need decisions making for them, but that's rescuing, and has its own dangers. Any victim of violence needs to regain control as soon as possible. Some of those who have been in the Army, know about this, men who cant cope without the structure they were used to, not able to make decisions. Disempowerment is horrible, but heres the crux, one way or another we will all realise all of the "power and the glory" belong to Christ Jesus, some just realise it
 
Hey Lanolin, the type of violence your referring to here is Power/Control. We as human beings like to control our environment and the people in it. Your right about women, and also men use their children to control their wives. Rarely will a woman leave her children, and she will do all she can to protect them. We should always remember to give choice and decision making control back to women as soon as possible. Sometimes they need decisions making for them, but that's rescuing, and has its own dangers. Any victim of violence needs to regain control as soon as possible. Some of those who have been in the Army, know about this, men who cant cope without the structure they were used to, not able to make decisions. Disempowerment is horrible, but heres the crux, one way or another we will all realise all of the "power and the glory" belong to Christ Jesus, some just realise it

 
One of the things thats a predictor of violence...if someone is really firm with their grip, they could wring your neck as thats what many men do to control their women..and most cases of male violence that kill women its has been by strangulation and choking.

I learned that if a man treats animals with cruelty they will also treat women and children who are physically weaker with cruelty.
If someone is kind with animals and looks after them, talks with them, doesn't need to use a whip etc...then they are gold. Shepherds look after their sheep they don't bash them up, but some false shepherds use fear and intimidation, and sheep dogs to keep their sheep in line. In NZ, shepherds (we don't have them, they are farmers) use barbed wire and electric fence of huge sections of land...as they can't be bothered actually looking after their sheep and knowing them by name as real shepherds do.

Lanolin, where do you some up with these things?
 
I don't like handshakes..I suppose thats what men do when they greet each other to see if they are any good at wrestling.
But I prefer a wave.

Women don't shake each others hands we greet each other with hugs, or smile. For children it would be high fives or fist bumps, never a handshake. People still do spit in their hands and shake them to seal a deal. So I'm not that keen on handshakes, its a strange custom.

It must be a cultural thing. Women shake hands all the time and the last time I saw someone spit in their hands to seal a deal was in elementary school.

The history of the handshake dates back to the 5th century B.C. in Greece. It was a symbol of peace, showing that neither person was carrying a weapon.

handshake.JPG
I do not know if hand shaking will survive C19, but I can tell a great deal about a person by the way he/she shakes hands.

rtm3039
 
Hello Lanolin;

Kindness is a Christian spirit and virtue of being generous of ourselves and our help. Gentleness is also a Christian spirit and virtue of being tender along with kindness. A slight distinction. Both are spirits of the fruit as you share in Galatians 5:22 but only gentleness is in the KJV. In two of my translation Bibles are the ESV and NIV, both include kindness and gentleness.

The reason you feel there are so few gentlemen is because, referring to men of God is this; many of them are home reading the Word, living productive lives - family, church ministry and their labor (job.), asking God to send them their future mate and exercise the fruit of the spirit. These men are not perfect, but strive to learn the characteristics and integrity of gentleness and kindness.

For example, the men here at Christian Forum Site are, in my discernment, gentlemen. From reading their posts they have a regard for their wives, children, the Christian community and unbelievers. If I felt any man here has a contentious spirit, as you say, violent and horrible tempers, God exposes the TRUTH, therefore, they can't hide behind a keyboard, and chances are they would not be in fellowship here. In the past God had already released a few who were bitter toward others who use to be members here.

The women here, and men, in my discernment, may have gotten past a bad relationship but from their posts I feel they have forgiven and moved on for the Kingdom.

Believers should not use cultures as a consolation for their principality of darkness, as the full chapter of Galatians 6 teaches us likewise our walk with Christ can be learned by all.

God bless you, Lanolin, and your whole family.

Then there is that old Bible teaching that seems to settle it all in Galatians 6:7.....
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
 
Hey Lanolin, the type of violence your referring to here is Power/Control. We as human beings like to control our environment and the people in it. Your right about women, and also men use their children to control their wives. Rarely will a woman leave her children, and she will do all she can to protect them. We should always remember to give choice and decision making control back to women as soon as possible. Sometimes they need decisions making for them, but that's rescuing, and has its own dangers. Any victim of violence needs to regain control as soon as possible. Some of those who have been in the Army, know about this, men who cant cope without the structure they were used to, not able to make decisions. Disempowerment is horrible, but heres the crux, one way or another we will all realise all of the "power and the glory" belong to Christ Jesus, some just realise it
I was reading a book about domestic violence (mostly in Australia) an investigative journalist wrote called 'See what you made me do' and they called this type of violence, even if it didn't involve hitting, 'coercive control'. Basically it means forcing someone to do something against their will. It might include verbal abuse or put downs as well.

If someones been institutionalised in the army and then goes back to civilian life, I guess they are used to following orders and not thinking for themselves. It's also like people who've been in jail can't cope with the outside world as its not so regimented. For women who live like that in their own homes with abusive partners, this is what it's like...they can't make any decisions. And yes leaving a partner with children leaves the children at risk from abuse as well. The women need to take the children with them. Thats why so many stay and take the abuse as a kind of buffer for their children.
 
hmm well women here don't shake hands. Maybe it's a Roman custom.

The Maori traditional custom is to touch noses, called hongi which is even more of a risk than shaking hands if you are infected.

I can tell a lot about a person by their eyes or the way they hug. But I mostly use spiritual discernment now. If hands are held mostly clasped it's not by shaking the other person up and down.

In the Bible you just took off your shoes and washed the other person's feet.
 
What do you mean...? Not sure I understand.

I work in a difficult setting with vulnerable adults. Sometimes they want me to do things that they are quite capable of doing themselves. They get angry because they think I’m not being kind. My choice not to help them with that task is hard because I was brought up to please others.
If the other fruits of the Spirit are not present when I’m choosing not to be kind I think I ought not do it as I will sin.
I’m just wondering if that’s correct from a Christian point of view.
Thanks
 
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