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Always Pursue Loving-Kindness

“He that is pursuing righteousness and loving-kindness will find life, righteousness and glory.”​—PROVERBS 21:21.

1. Why should we expect those guided by God’s spirit to show kindness?

JEHOVAH is kind and compassionate. He is “a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness and truth.” (Exodus 34:6, 7) Understandably, then, the fruitage of his holy spirit includes love and kindness.​—Galatians 5:22, 23.

2. What examples will we now consider?

² Those guided by Jehovah’s holy spirit, or active force, display its fruit of kindness. They show loving-kindness in their relationships with others. Indeed, they follow the apostle Paul’s example, recommending themselves as God’s ministers “by kindness” and in other ways. (2 Corinthians 6:3-10) Their kind, compassionate, forgiving spirit harmonizes with the personality of Jehovah, who is “abundant in loving-kindness” and whose Word contains many examples of kindness. (Psalm 86:15; Ephesians 4:32) What can we learn from some of these?

Kindness Makes Us Unselfish and Hospitable

3. How was Abraham exemplary in showing kindness, and what encouragement does Paul give in this connection?

³ The patriarch Abraham (Abram)​—“Jehovah’s friend” and “the father of all those having faith”—​set a fine example in showing kindness. (James 2:23; Romans 4:11) He and his family, including his nephew Lot, left the Chaldean city of Ur and entered Canaan at God’s command. Though Abraham was the older man and the head of the family, he was kind and unselfish in letting Lot take the choicest pasture lands, while he himself took what was left. (Genesis 13:5-18) Similar kindness may move us to allow others to have advantages at our expense. Such unselfish kindness harmonizes with the apostle Paul’s counsel: “Let each one keep seeking, not his own advantage, but that of the other person.” Paul himself ‘pleased all people in all things, not seeking his own advantage but that of the many, in order that they might get saved.’​—1 Corinthians 10:24, 33.

4. How were Abraham and Sarah rewarded for showing kindness in the form of hospitality?

⁴ Sometimes kindness takes the form of heartfelt hospitality. Abraham and his wife, Sarah, were kind and hospitable to three strangers passing by one day. Abraham prevailed upon them to stay for a time, while he and Sarah hurriedly prepared a fine meal for the visitors. Those strangers turned out to be Jehovah’s angels, one of whom conveyed the promise that aged and childless Sarah would have a son. (Genesis 18:1-15) What a reward for kind hospitality!

5. In what way did Gaius show kindness, and how might we do something similar?

⁵ One way that all Christians can show kindness is by being hospitable. (Romans 12:13; 1 Timothy 3:1, 2) Accordingly, Jehovah’s servants kindly extend hospitality to traveling overseers. This is reminiscent of the kindness shown by the first-century Christian Gaius. He did “a faithful work” in receiving visiting brothers hospitably​—and they were “strangers” formerly unknown to him. (3 John 5-8) Usually, we know those to whom we can kindly extend hospitality. Perhaps we notice that a spiritual sister is dejected. Her marriage mate may be an unbeliever or even a disfellowshipped person. What an opportunity to show kindness by inviting her to enjoy spiritual fellowship and a meal with our family from time to time! Though we may not spread a banquet, surely our family will find joy in showing kindness to such a sister. (Compare Proverbs 15:17.) And she will undoubtedly express her gratitude for this orally or in a kind note of thanks.

6. How did Lydia show kindness, and why is it important to show appreciation for kind acts?

⁶ After the devout woman Lydia was baptized, “she said with entreaty: ‘If you men [Paul and his associates] have judged me to be faithful to Jehovah, enter into my house and stay.’ And she just made us come,” added Luke. Undoubtedly, Lydia’s kindness was appreciated. (Acts 16:14, 15, 40) But failure to show appreciation can be devastating. On one occasion, an 80-year-old sister of limited strength and means kindly labored to prepare a meal for a few guests. She was especially disappointed when one young man did not even notify her that he could not come. On another occasion, two sisters missed a meal that a young woman prepared especially for them. “I was crushed,” she said, “as neither one had forgotten. . . . I would have preferred to hear that they had forgotten about dinner, but instead neither sister was kind or loving enough to call me.” Would the holy spirit’s fruit of kindness move you to be appreciative and thoughtful under similar circumstances?

Kindness Makes Us Considerate

7. What point regarding kindness is illustrated by the effort made to comply with the burial wishes of Jacob?

⁷ Kindness should make us considerate of others and of their proper wishes. To illustrate: Jacob (Israel) asked his son Joseph to exercise loving-kindness toward him by not burying him in Egypt. Though this required that Jacob’s body be carried quite a distance, Joseph and the other sons of Jacob “carried him into the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, the field that Abraham had purchased for the possession of a burial place from Ephron the Hittite in front of Mamre.” (Genesis 47:29; 49:29-31; 50:12, 13) In harmony with that example, should not loving-kindness move us to comply with Scripturally acceptable burial arrangements desired by a Christian family member?

8. What does the case of Rahab teach us about repaying kindness?

⁸ When others show us loving-kindness, should we not express appreciation or reciprocate in some way? Certainly we should. Rahab the harlot showed kindness by hiding the Israelite spies. Hence, the Israelites showed loving-kindness by preserving her and her household when they devoted the city of Jericho to destruction. (Joshua 2:1-21; 6:20-23) What a fine example indicating that we should repay kindness by being considerate and kind ourselves!

9. Why would you say that it is proper to ask someone to show us loving-kindness?

⁹ For that matter, it is proper to ask someone to show loving-kindness toward us. This was done by Jonathan, son of Israel’s first king, Saul. Jonathan asked his beloved younger friend David to show loving-kindness toward him and his household. (1 Samuel 20:14, 15; 2 Samuel 9:3-7) David remembered this when he avenged the Gibeonites wronged by Saul. Recalling “the oath of Jehovah” between him and Jonathan, David exercised loving-kindness by sparing the life of Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth. (2 Samuel 21:7, 8) Do we likewise ‘let our Yes mean Yes’? (James 5:12) And if we are congregation elders, are we similarly compassionate when fellow believers need to be shown loving-kindness?

Kindness Strengthens Bonds

10. How was Ruth’s loving-kindness blessed?

¹⁰ Loving-kindness strengthens family bonds and promotes happiness. This was shown in the case of the Moabitess Ruth. She toiled as a gleaner in the field of elderly Boaz near Bethlehem, providing food for herself and her widowed and needy mother-in-law, Naomi. (Ruth 2:14-18) Boaz later told Ruth: “You have expressed your loving-kindness better in the last instance than in the first instance, in not going after the young fellows whether lowly or rich.” (Ruth 3:10) First, Ruth showed loving-kindness to Naomi. “In the last instance,” the Moabitess displayed loving-kindness by being willing to marry elderly Boaz so as to raise up a name for her dead husband and for aged Naomi. By Boaz, Ruth became the mother of David’s grandfather Obed. And God granted her the “perfect wage” of being an ancestress of Jesus Christ. (Ruth 2:12; 4:13-17; Matthew 1:3-6, 16; Luke 3:23, 31-33) What blessings Ruth’s loving-kindness meant for her and her family! Today, blessings, happiness, and a strengthening of family bonds also occur when loving-kindness flourishes in godly homes.

11. The kindness of Philemon had what effect?

¹¹ Kindness strengthens bonds within congregations of Jehovah’s people. The Christian man Philemon was known for showing loving-kindness to fellow believers. Paul told him: “I always thank my God when I make mention of you in my prayers, as I keep hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the holy ones . . . I got much joy and comfort over your love, because the tender affections of the holy ones have been refreshed through you, brother.” (Philemon 4-7) The Scriptures do not say how the tender affections of the holy ones were refreshed through Philemon. However, he must have shown loving-kindness to fellow anointed ones in various ways that proved refreshing to them, and this undoubtedly strengthened the bonds between them. Similar things occur when Christians display loving-kindness today.

12. What resulted from the kindness shown by Onesiphorus?

¹² The kindness of Onesiphorus also had a good effect. “May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus,” said Paul, “because he often brought me refreshment, and he did not become ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he happened to be in Rome, he diligently looked for me and found me. May the Lord grant him to find mercy from Jehovah in that day. And all the services he rendered in Ephesus you know well enough.” (2 Timothy 1:16-18) If we exert ourselves to show loving-kindness to fellow worshipers, we will be happy and will be strengthening the bonds of brotherly affection within the Christian congregation.

13, 14. How was the congregation at Philippi exemplary, and how did Paul respond to its kindness?

¹³ When an entire congregation shows loving-kindness toward fellow worshipers, this strengthens the bond between them. Such a close bond existed between Paul and the congregation in the city of Philippi. In fact, one reason that he wrote his letter to the Philippians was to express gratitude for their kindness and material help. He wrote: “At the start of declaring the good news, when I departed from Macedonia, not a congregation took a share with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you alone; because, even in Thessalonica, you sent something to me both once and a second time for my need. . . . I have all things in full and have an abundance. I am filled, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the things from you, a sweet-smelling odor, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.”​—Philippians 4:15-18.

¹⁴ No wonder the kind Philippians were in Paul’s prayers! He said: “I thank my God always upon every remembrance of you in every supplication of mine for all of you, as I offer my supplication with joy, because of the contribution you have made to the good news from the first day until this moment.” (Philippians 1:3-5) Such kindhearted and generous support of the Kingdom-preaching work never makes a congregation poor. After the Philippians kindly did what they could in this regard, Paul assured them: “In turn, my God will fully supply all your need to the extent of his riches in glory by means of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) Yes, God repays kindness and generosity. His Word says: “Each one, whatever good he may do, will receive this back from Jehovah.”​—Ephesians 6:8.

When Women Show Kindness

15, 16. (a) How was the kindness of Dorcas remembered, and what happened when she died? (b) How do kindhearted Christian women abound in good deeds today?

¹⁵ The loving-kindness of the disciple Dorcas (Tabitha) of Joppa did not go unrewarded. “She abounded in good deeds and gifts of mercy,” and when ‘she fell sick and died,’ the disciples sent for Peter at Lydda. Upon his arrival, “they led him up into the upper chamber; and all the widows presented themselves to him weeping and exhibiting many inner garments and outer garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them.” Picture the scene: Sad, tearful widows told the apostle how kind Dorcas had been and showed him those garments as evidence of her love and kindness. Dismissing everyone, Peter knelt in prayer and turned to the body. Listen! He said: “Tabitha, rise!” And look! “She opened her eyes and, as she caught sight of Peter, she sat up. Giving her his hand, he raised her up, and he called the holy ones and the widows and presented her alive.” (Acts 9:36-41) What a blessing from God!

¹⁶ This was the first recorded resurrection performed by an apostle of Jesus Christ. And the circumstances leading to this wonderful miracle were rooted in kindness. Who can say that Dorcas would have been raised to life if she had not abounded in good deeds and gifts of mercy​—if she had not been abundant in loving-kindness? Not only were Dorcas and those widows blessed but the miracle of her resurrection furnished a witness to God’s glory. Yes, “this became known throughout all Joppa, and many became believers on the Lord.” (Acts 9:42) Today, kindhearted Christian women also abound in good deeds​—perhaps sewing garments for fellow believers, preparing meals for the aged among us, extending hospitality to others. (1 Timothy 5:9, 10) What a witness this is to observers! Most of all, how happy we are that godly devotion and loving-kindness move this ‘large army of women to tell out the good news’ to the glory of our God, Jehovah!​—Psalm 68:11.

Keep On Pursuing Loving-Kindness

17. What is said at Proverbs 21:21, and how do those words apply to godly individuals?

¹⁷ All who desire God’s favor must pursue loving-kindness. “He that is pursuing righteousness and loving-kindness will find life, righteousness and glory,” says a wise proverb. (Proverbs 21:21) A godly person diligently pursues God’s righteousness, always being guided by divine standards. (Matthew 6:33) He continually shows loyal love, or loving-kindness, to others in material and especially spiritual ways. Thus, he finds righteousness, for Jehovah’s spirit helps him to live in a righteous way. In fact, he is ‘clothed with righteousness’ as the godly man Job was. (Job 29:14) Such a person does not seek his own glory. (Proverbs 25:27) Rather, he gets whatever glory Jehovah allows him to receive, perhaps in the form of respect from fellow humans moved by God to deal kindly with him because of his own loving-kindness toward them. Moreover, those loyally doing God’s will find life​—not just for a few fleeting years but forever.

18. Why should we pursue loving-kindness?

¹⁸ Therefore, let all who love Jehovah God continue to pursue loving-kindness. This quality endears us to God and to others. It promotes hospitality and makes us considerate. Kindness strengthens bonds within the family and the Christian congregation. Women who show loving-kindness are appreciated and highly regarded. And all those pursuing this splendid quality bring glory to the God of loving-kindness, Jehovah.

How Would You Answer?

□ How was Abraham exemplary in showing kindness?

□ What does Rahab’s case teach us about repaying kindness?

□ How did the Philippi congregation show kindness?

□ How do kindhearted Christian women abound in good deeds today?

□ Why should we pursue loving-kindness?