Fruits of the Spirit – Kindness & Goodness

‘The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.’ 

- Galatians 5:22-23 -

THE FRUIT OF KINDNESS

The fifth fruit of the Spirit is kindness. The Greek word chrestotes means being helpful and beneficial. Kindness is a noble virtue that seeks the good. Christians must have all fruits of the Spirit on display for the world to see, but there is probably no better way than to be kind. Consider that just as fruit shows a tree’s health, spiritual fruit shows the health of a Christian. If kindness doesn’t mark your life, you’re not a believer. Paul warned Rome: ‘Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off’ (11:22).

Our actions and choices matter, so Jesus said: “You shall know them by their fruits ... every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit” (Matt. 7:16-17). Be kind, as it is the person God created you to be. Kindness should flow out of you and into others. Heed the warning that ‘those who are kind benefit others, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves’ (Prov. 11:17). As Paul said: ‘A servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition’ (2 Tim. 2:24). Archbishop Richard Trench said kindness “produces a goodness which has no edge, no sharpness to it.”

The kindness of Christ knows no boundary

Kindness is true, unadulterated politeness that reflects the love of God. It is the starting point as we work out our ‘salvation with fear and trembling’ (Phil. 2:12). Kindness provides for those who can’t provide for themselves. It is the spontaneous overflow of love that reveals our impulsively tenderhearted identity in Christ. Kindness delights in supplying others’ needs. Spurgeon called it “consideration for others, readiness to help them in any way that we can.” The Tyndale Bible Dictionary calls it “loving affection, sympathy, friendliness, patience, pleasantness, gentleness, and goodness.” Medical science shows that when you are kind, endorphins enter your brain, giving a sense of pleasure. In other words, we are hard-wired by our Maker for love and generosity.

Biblical history is one long account of God’s mercy and lovingkindness. He raised up deliverers and sent prophets to His people, and as God’s adopted children, we are to be tools of His love and kindness to the world. We are to be lights on a hill and beacons of mercy. Paul told the Ephesians: ‘Become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted, compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted, forgiving one another readily and freely’ (4:32). Paul doesn’t say we are to arrive at a point in our behavior but to be in a lifelong process; a journey toward bigger and better Christlikeness. We are to treat strangers as if we’ve known them all our life, bringing hope and encouragement in troubled times.

Our heart must always go out to others. The word kind comes from kin and kindred. To deal kindly with others is to deal with them as with family. After all, all believers are brethren in the Lord. Be like Christ and practice radical kindness. His kindness went to the sick, the poor, and social outcasts. He healed them, fed them, and prayed for them. Kindness is more than just kind words. This fruit of the Spirit must stimulate us to loving action, so James taught: ‘If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead by itself’ (James 2:15-16).

The Good Samaritan and his patient

Where better to see kindness leading to action than the parable of the Good Samaritan. Luke 10 tells of a man beaten by thieves and left for dead. A priest and a Levite came by, beheld the man, and passed by on the other side. Then, shockingly, a Samaritan came and had compassion on him. Samaritans were despised and considered unclean by the Jews, yet here was one helping a man from Jerusalem who likely despised him. This Samaritan dressed his wounds, set him on his animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him. He did the kind thing, so Jesus said: “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37).

Jesus told this parable to teach just what it means to love your neighbor as yourself. It shows that love and kindness are lived out in actions. Christ used the verbs go and do to indite His hearers of sin and to command them to make mercy and kindness a lifestyle. The only way to live this kingdom life is to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus (Luke 9:23), surrendering to the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. ‘For God is working in you, giving you the desire and power to do what pleases Him’ (Phil. 2:13). The result of God’s work in us is that the fruit of kindness will be evident in our life, and God will be glorified.

THE FRUIT OF GOODNESS

The sixth fruit of the Spirit is goodness. Kindness and goodness are similar but not identical. Goodness involves being kind, but includes honesty and firmness. Kindness causes us to act gently, whereas goodness necessarily rebukes and disciplines others for wrong actions. Paul said: ‘The supernatural fruits of His light will be seen in you – goodness, righteousness, and truth’ (Eph. 5:9). So goodness is related to righteousness. If we have righteous standards, we will be serious in our convictions. We know what is right and we naturally want others to do the same.

Sometimes it is necessary to say difficult things for the benefit of others. When Jesus dealt firmly with people, it wasn’t because He ran out of patience. He spoke sternly and honestly as an act of love, with the ultimate goal of doing good, both to them and to all who heard. On one occasion He admonished Martha, a dear friend, when she rebuked her sister Mary for listening to Him instead of feeding guests. Jesus was even sterner when He drove money-changers from the temple, but this was an act of goodness as it upheld the righteous standard of God. All Christians need goodness that at one and the same time is both kind and strong, as only the fruit of goodness leads the lost toward conversion and godly reform.

Mary has chosen what is better

Paul told the Romans: ‘I am fully convinced of your genuine spirituality. I know each of you are stuffed full of goodness and that you are empowered to effectively instruct one another’ (15:14). The fruit of goodness let them speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15) without bashing sinners over the head. This is the kindly side of conviction. We are to have a great love for the truth of God’s Word and to share it so that others may receive it. As William Blaikie said: “Good tidings spoken harshly are not good tidings. The charm of the message is destroyed by the cruel spirit of the messenger.” Love seeks the highest good in the one being loved. We don’t speak the truth in a retaliatory way but lead the person away from error and into a rewarding life.

By the spirit of goodness we impart blessings to others as we help them mature in all of life to become more like Christ. True love speaks at the right time, with the right words, and in the right spirit. This way none may take offense when we speak the oracles of God. We can be fearless in standing for the truth and still be good and kind. Truth declared contentiously neither preserves unity nor promotes usefulness. Pastor Lehman Strauss said: “It is not enough that our tongues hold to the truth; the truth must hold our tongues in love.” And John Stott said: “Truth becomes hard if it is not softened by love and love becomes soft if it is not strengthened by the truth.” The fruit of goodness binds the two together.

Words given out of goodness

A person operating in the fruit of goodness cares about the moral well-being of others. So goodness is moral and spiritual excellence manifested in kindness and an interest in the welfare of others. Paul said: ‘See that no one repays another evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people’ (1 Thess. 5:15). The Greek word for seek is dioko and it means to pursue with diligence in order to obtain. We are to keep looking for ways to improve the lives of others; to ‘pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another’ (Rom. 14:19). Quite simply, goodness doesn’t tear down, it builds up.

In the pursuit of goodness for others, Paul said: ‘Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good for necessary edification that it may impart grace to the hearers’ (Eph. 4:19). Yes, we are to confront lapses in moral behavior but without hateful words. Instead, let our words be gifts of encouragement. Use speech that fits the need and occasion so it may be a blessing and give grace to those who hear it. Proverbs 12:18 says: ‘The tongue of the wise brings healing.’ Our harvest varies on how we sow our speech, as ‘pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones’ (16:24). So walk in the fruit of goodness and words suited for any occasion will flow from you like rivers of living water (John 7:38).