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Bible Studies for Life Lesson for August 15: Demonstrate Kindness
Phyllis Elvington, speaker, author, member of Tabor City Baptist Church
July 30, 2010
3 MIN READ TIME

Bible Studies for Life Lesson for August 15: Demonstrate Kindness

Bible Studies for Life Lesson for August 15: Demonstrate Kindness
Phyllis Elvington, speaker, author, member of Tabor City Baptist Church
July 30, 2010

Focal Passage: 2 Samuel
9:1-13


“And be ye kind one to
another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake
hath forgiven you” (Eph. 4:32, KJV).

Oh, how this world needs a
little kindness … We stay so busy — so wrapped up in our own hustle and bustle
that we barely even notice the multitudes waiting out there for someone to show
them even the smallest act of kindness.

Kindness is love in action.
It is also a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22).

It doesn’t happen by
accident. Kindness is a deliberate choice we make to do good to others.

“David asked, ‘Is there anyone still left of the house of
Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?’” (v. 1, NIV).

In order to understand this
request, you need to understand the background of the characters involved.

King Saul was David’s
fiercest enemy. Saul told his son, Jonathan, “As long as the son of Jesse lives
on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now send and
bring him to me, for he must die” (1 Sam. 20:31, NIV).

Jonathan, however, was
David’s dearest friend. “Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved
him as himself” (1 Sam. 18:1, NIV).

He told David, “Whatever you
want me to do, I’ll do for you” (1 Sam. 20:4, NIV).

Out of their deep love and
friendship, Jonathan asked David to make a promise: “But show me unfailing
kindness … and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family …” (1 Sam.
20:14-15, NIV).

David kept his promise.
After the death of Saul and Jonathan, David brought Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s
crippled son, into his own home and told him, “I will surely show you kindness
for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that
belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table” (v. 7, NIV).

David set an example for us
to follow in demonstrating kindness. Good intentions are not enough.

We must first decide that we
truly desire to show kindness to those around us.

We then need to seek
opportunities to practice kindness to those God places in our path.

Paul said, “And let us not
grow weary in well-doing … So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to
all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Gal.
6:9-10, RSV).

Jesus said, “I tell you the
truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did
for me” (Matt. 25:40, NIV).