Monday, June 18, 2007 AD Kindness A week or two ago I got into a discussion with someone who was Quite Put Out that Doug Wilson had used kindness as a synonym for love. And I was Rather Put Out at the fellow's objection, I think because I believe kindness is a very apt and very biblical synonym for love. If love is God's disposition to His children, kindness is how He expresses that disposition. His covenant love is not some pie-in-the-sky abstraction, it is as tangible as a cup running over, as bread broken. We cannot yet see Him face-to-face, so all of His kindnesses are reminders that His countenance shines on us with His favor. That's one more reason we need to look up and around when we share the Lord's Supper. God's face shines on us through the loving, joyful faces of our brethren, unveiled and reflecting His glory.
I've read several things this week that point to the need for moms to show kindness to their children. A few days ago I mentioned Abigail playing with her children's food. I've also read a post by Jeana and another by her mom about their relationship. Today I read this from Emeth and this from Mrs. Wilson that further illustrated the importance of maternal kindness.
Kindness leads to repentance, and a failure to grasp that kindness and to repent leads to judgment and wrath. Parents who fail to show kindness to their children are lying about God. All parents are models of God's Fatherhood. Some are good, accurate models, and some are bad, deceitful models. Those who fail to show kindness to their children are teaching them that God is unkind, making them blind to God's kindness, hindering them from receiving His kindness, teaching them not to repent, preparing them for wrath.
Another by the way, not just mothers, but all of us are called to model God's kindness to one another.
I struggle to believe in God's kindness. Some of my worst moments are when I am so forgetful of it that I outright deny it, bitterly and rebelliously accusing Him of unkindness. How remarkable when He, kindly, kindly, oh so kindly, leads me to repentance even of that. When I fail to trust His kindess, I also stumble into all sorts of unkindnesses against others.
So don't go around brushing off kindness as if it's "just" kindness...something not quite perfectly worthy of notice and emulation. It is precious and good and powerful and as important as anything else we can know or do. Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 6/18/2007 09:42:00 PM
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