By John Kyle, special to the Baptist Message
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (LBM) — Rhinestones, big hair, a disarming smile, and an unmistakable voice helped make Dolly Parton – noticeable.
Born in the hills of east Tennessee, Dolly Parton was one of 12 children. She grew up poor but refused to let her family’s lack of resources keep her from dreaming big. As accolades pour in from around the world, those whose paths crossed Dolly’s routinely remember her kindness. Her obituary put it this way, “ …her wit, warmth and kindness that made us all feel like family.”
Kindness.
Let that word sink in for just a minute. Simply defined it is warmheartedness, goodness, generosity, helpfulness. It is acting graciously and mercifully toward others, just as God does with us.
My guess is even during your most hectic day, you notice, you remember someone who showed you kindness. Someone who allows you to merge in front of them in heavy traffic. Someone who holds open a door when your arms are full. Someone who compliments you when you’re struggling to hold it together, and you feel like a hot mess.
Kindness.
It was something that Paul regularly included in his letters to the churches of his time. He told the believers in Corinth that “love is kind.” He admonished the Ephesians to “be kind to one another.” Members of the church in Colossi were told to “put on kindness.” Paul reminded the believers in Galatia that kindness was a fruit, or evidence of a growing relationship with Jesus.
Isn’t it interesting that Paul found it necessary to repeatedly reminded believers, Christ-followers, to be kind?
When you look behind the curtain of many of the early churches, there was a void of common kindness. There were sharp arguments over who was the better or preferred teacher, Paul or Apollos? What was permissible regarding various behaviors and what was not? Who was welcome in their gatherings and who was not. In many cases Paul had to act as a referee between those who claimed to believe the teachings of Jesus when He instructed them to love one another – to be kind to one another, if you will.
Even today, a lack of kindness has splintered churches. First Baptist spins off Second Baptist, then Third, and the pattern continues. A former pastor of mine once observed that Baptists like to credit our church-planting to being mission-minded — but if we’re honest, many new churches are born out of conflict, not calling. We simply don’t extend kindness to one another.
How kind are you?
Don’t mistake kindness for politeness. Politeness is often surface and can quickly evaporate. Kindness, the fruit Paul refers to in Galatians 5, comes from within and doesn’t change when circumstances are unfavorable. While politeness is generated via habit and human effort, kindness is generated from a close relationship with the vine, the source. Jesus told his followers that He is the vine and we are the branches. Apart from Him, we can do nothing – including being kind.
If you find yourself being unkind, check your relationship with the vine. A healthy, continuous relationship with the vine, Jesus, will yield kindness that is – noticeable.
John Kyle is the recently retired director of communications for Louisiana Baptists.
