The Hebrew word “hesed” appears nearly 250 times in the Bible. It is a beautiful word that in it’s purest form is translated as kindness. Kindness that is defined by love, mercy, and good. The word is found at the end of Psalm 23 when David writes, surely your goodness and “hesed” mercy/lovingkindness follow me.
God is Kind.
One thing we must pay attention to when we hear the word kind is to not associate it with the concept or word of being nice. To be nice, is to appease or to be polite, these are very different from the word kind. Kindness is honest, loving, good, in essence it is merciful and beautiful and will always be so. To be nice, is often to people-please, which is not an honest or good posture. To people-please, or in other words, appease, one often lies. When we behave to please others while shoving our own desires and beliefs and inclinations aside, we are not offering that which is good and beautiful and true.
True kindness is breathtaking and leaves an aroma of goodness and love. True kindness, is love put into motion, it’s what love looks like in action and it is continual.
In all things and at all times God is kind. To all people, on all sides, God is Kind. His kindness is relentless, persistent, always present, compassionate, upright, righteous, good, and true. Kindness embodies goodness, truth, and beauty, for in Kindness we experience the lavish love of a good, good God.
THE PATH — PRACTICES IN NOTICING
How do we encounter God’s Kindness?
Look for it. Speak to it. Thank God for it. Receive it. Practice it.
- Practice Personally: This week begin each day by remembering a story where God was kind in Scripture. Then, ask God to give you eyes to see Kindness around you. At the end of the day, recall moments or encounters with Kindness, write them down or speak them aloud, thank God for those moments and then bring your hands to your heart and speak the words, “God I receive your kindness towards me.” Breathe in deeply, and imagine God weaving these moments of kindness into your body.
- Practice Communally: Share in a group or with one other person from Platt Park how you encountered God’s kindness. Speak to someone in your life about how you have encountered God’s kindness through them. Ask God to give you ideas on how you might be an extension of Kindness in the lives of those around you.
- Practice with children: Choose someone in your family’s life or ask your children to choose someone to whom they could be a physical, embodied presence of kindness. A neighbor, friend, someone from school, church a family member. Ask your children how they would like to show kindness to this person or these people and practice kindness together. At the end of each day ask your children to remember one moment when they experienced kindness today. After they have shared, read aloud the verse: Psalm 103:8 or Ephesians 2:6-7 and tell them, “when you experience Kindness you are getting a little peak into who God is, because God is kind.” Thank God together for the kindness you experienced.