A Legacy of Kindness

Birds eating leftover breakfast

at the Verandah, Baguio Country Club

May 30, 2015

... do you think lightly of the riches 
of His kindness and tolerance and patience,
not knowing that the kindness of God
leads you to repentance?
- Romans 2:4

But the fruit of the Spirit is 
love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Against such things there is no law.
- Galatians 5:22-23

God is unfathomable, but He is approachable.

And of His multi-faceted nature, He reveals some to you and me on a personal basis.

He is a God who allows Himself to be known.

We can ask God to reveal who He is to us, and when He does, that becomes our access point into His presence.

What touches me the most about God is that He is consistently good. His goodness is the basis for all He does.

When Moses asked God to show him His glory, God replied by saying, "I will cause all My goodness to pass before you..."

Yes, God's heart is filled with goodness... and this is seen in His acts of kindness toward His creation.

Father God does not hide His goodness from us; in fact, it is His goodness that softens our hearts to seek Him.

After Adam and Eve messed up His beautiful plans, He was ready with a plan rescue. He didn't have to do that... but He did.

He causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust...

If He feeds the birds of the air, will He not also give us the things we need, we who are far more valuable than the sparrows!



Today I am meditating on the fruit of the Spirit passage in Galatians 5:22-23.

When I was a young Christian believer as a university freshman, I could not understand why this passage listed the nine qualities as one "fruit." I couldn't get my mind off what our Bible teacher said: "These nine qualities is a portrait of Jesus Christ."

There is only one spiritual fruit - these nine qualities are segments or facets of that one fruit.

My mind was just blown away to realize that the Spirit so desires to grow that very fruit in each one of us.

I could never grow this fruit on my own. Self-effort has nothing to do with it. Only by abiding... being connected... being intimate with God... being obedient to Him... can the fruit be given the right environment for growth.

My ongoing desire is to have all these nine segments of the fruit of the Spirit growing in my heart.



Today, my granddaughter Peaceful One turns four months old.

This month, kindness is  facet of the fruit that I am asking God to develop in her.

In our world today, kindness is no longer a common quality. People can pretend to be kind for ulterior motives and hidden agenda, but genuine kindness, coming from a heart of goodness, is not so easily found.

We are confronted today by mudslinging in the entertainment world, as well as in politics, even in sports. In the name of religion, helpless individuals are being beheaded.

This world is starving for true kindness, acts of mercy and grace offered to another without expecting anything in return.

This seems to be my favorite line these days... its own reward... and it applies so beautifully to kindness as well.

Being kind is its own reward.

Being kind to another person for no hidden motives, and not out of pretense, is its own reward. We give life, and we receive life in return.

Kindness is a life-giving act.

Graham Cooke has often said that God is the kindest Person he has ever known. I definitely agree with him.

Kindness is not just a sweet, gentle disposition... it is very much an action-filled concept.

Kindness translates concern to actual deeds, deeds that convey a message to the other person that he or she has value and worth in your eyes and is worth your attention.

Genuine kindness to another person means that I am considerate of his needs, aware of his feelings, compassionate toward his circumstances, his shortcomings, his inadequacies... and I offer myself to him or her in an area of need, without expecting to be thanked, acknowledged, or even repaid.

True kindness is being willing to be interrupted or inconvenienced.

So much more. Several pages would not be enough to talk about true, spiritual kindness.

But as I meditated on this particular quality of our Lord Jesus Christ, I was struck by what this Bible passage says: it is the the kindness of God that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4).

Looking inside my heart, I realize it is easier to be kind externally than internally. I must admit I am often unkind in my thoughts, judgments, and assessment of others. 

Yet, it is the kindness of God that leads me to repentance. 

How beautiful the heart and good intentions of God, that because of His kindness, showing me true value and worth, I have been led to bow at His feet, and offer my life to Him, to do with as He pleases.

Abba Father God has passed on to me a legacy of kindness.

Even as I write these words, I am also thankful for the legacy of kindness that has been passed on to me by my own dear earthly father, my Papa. 

I want to be like him. 

He was always kind... always kind. Of him it can be said, he didn't have one mean bone in him.

And this legacy of kindness I have received, from my Heavenly Father, and from my earthly father, I pass on to my dear grandchildren. 

As I pray for my dearest granddaughter Peaceful One, I ask Abba Father that she will truly experience the kindness of God in her life, that she, in turn will open the throne of her heart to Him.

Dearest granddaughter,

I pray that your heart will receive so much kindness 

from those around you,

causing the ground of your heart to be watered 

and drenched by kindness,

that kindness will be second nature to you, 

making the fruit of kindness evident in your life as you grow up.

You will be kind in your thoughts, 

in your perception of others, 

in your words, and in your deeds.

You will be a minister of kindness in the life of others, 

for the glory of God.

Much love always,

Nana