“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23)
The fifth fruit of the Spirit we will be focusing on this week is kindness.
The Greek word for kindness is xrestotes (chrestotes). The way this word is translated in the English is “kindness, goodness, excellence, gentleness.”
There are times when there are no English words that properly translate the Greek. This is one of them.
Chrestotes is derived from the Greek root word chrestos. Chrestos means: useful, profitable, well-fit for use for what is really needed, a kindness that is timely and needed.
The best way to think of this word is that chrestotes is the Spirit-produced goodness and kindness that meets a specific need. This is a useful kindness, a practical kindness that meets real needs in God’s way and in God’s timing.
It is not just feeling nice things or thinking nice things about someone. This is meeting a real need in a timely way. This kindness shows up in real person and in real presence to meet the need of another. This kindness honors God and blesses another. This kindness is how God uses Christians to be agents of blessings to another.
Not just kind thoughts or feelings. Real, tangible, needed, and useful kindness that shows up just at the right time.
Just what the doctor ordered. Except, for us, this is just what God ordered.
Looking forward to learning more about the fifth fruit of the Spirit: kindness.
Praxis: Faith in Action 