K I N D N E S S
“hesed” – in Hebrew means zeal/desire toward another
in a good sense; favor; benefit.
Gen. 39:20-23 How did God
show kindness to Joseph?
Though you may think that if God was so kind then He wouldn’t have even
allowed Joseph to go to jail at all, remember that God has a good
reason/purpose for all He does. Do you believe Rom. 8:28? Why?
Share a personal
experience where you experienced God’s kindness in a tough situation.
2
Sam. 9:1-13 How did King David
show kindness to Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth (before his death, Jonathan was a close friend of David’s)?
Have you ever shown kindness to a
stranger because he/she was related to a close friend of yours? Why?
Job
Are you kind to
people/friends who are despairing/hopeless/despondent, even if you think that
person got himself/herself into the mess he/she is in? Why?
Psa. 117:2 Because
the Lord’s lovingkindness is great toward all nations and people, what are they
told to do in verse 1?
What are some ways that the Lord shows His lovingkindness to all
nations (see Matt.
Are you praising God
for His kindness to you? Why,
and/or for what?
Psa. 141:5 What does David pray for?
How can kindness and smiting (rebuking) go together, aren’t they
opposites?
Have you ever prayed for the
righteous to smite/rebuke you in kindness?
Does Prov. 27:6 add any insights to
this idea? How?
Prov. 3:3 What does Solomon (1:1; 3:1) tell his son?
Is kindness a consistent facet of
your character? If
so, how do you exhibit it?
If not, why not?
“chrestotes” – in Greek means goodness of heart;
kindness; pleasant; gracious; useful; doing good or a favor.
Rom. 2:4 What
leads people to repentance (a change of
mind that turns people to God and saving faith)?
What shouldn’t we take lightly?
What was it that led you to
repentance?
Do you ever take lightly the riches
of God’s kindness? Why?
Col. 3:12 What are those who have been
chosen of God to put on (practice)?
Are you putting on (practicing/choosing as an act of your will
to show) kindness? Why?
If so, give an example of how you
did during this past week.
If you haven’t been, when will you,
and why?
Gal.
Is the Holy Spirit producing this
fruit in your life?
How could a Christian have kindness
being produced in his life (Eph.
Do you think it would be a good
idea to actually plan what acts of kindness you want to do for various people?
What advantages are there to planning ahead like this?
Plan one act of kindness each day
of the week for seven different people (e.g.,
a family member, a close friend, an acquaintance, a neighbor, a stranger, a
classmate, a fellow employee, or relative).
Eph. 2:7 How was God’s grace
given to those who were saved?
When you give something good to
someone, in what manner do you give it (out
of obligation, guilt, competition, or out of kindness), and why?
Titus 3:4, 5 When
the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, what
happened?
In what way(s) does your kindness appear, or is exhibited to people?
1 Pet. 2:1-3 What should
you do if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord?
Have you tasted the kindness of the
Lord? If so, how?
Are you longing
for God’s Word (to read, study, and
meditate on the Bible)? Why?
Why do you think we should, other
than that it’s a command for us to (2
Tim.
“philanthropia” – in Greek means love of mankind;
kindness (but from self-centered motives).
Acts 28:2 How had these non-Christians (natives) showed Paul and the rest of
the crew extraordinary kindness?
[Notice that a different Greek word – “philanthropia” – is used for “kindness” when used in
conjunction with it being a quality of a non-Christian.].
“chrestos”
in Greek means kind; useful; beneficial; serviceable; good; or gracious.
Lk.
Are you
kind to these types of people too? Why?
Eph.
Are you kind to your fellow
Christians? How
often, and how?
If you’re not,
what do you plan to do about it, and when?
What are some
examples of being kind as seen in the following verses (Psa. 112:5; Matt. 25:34-40; Acts
Here are some suggestions
as to how you can express your kindness:
1.
Picking up something that someone has dropped.
2.
Opening and/or closing doors for others.
3.
Being quiet while others are sleeping, praying, or
speaking in a conversation.
4.
Being a good sport during games; not being overly
competitive or letting someone else take your place if there are more people
than a game can use.
5.
Making sure that all the people know and agree upon the
rules of a game before play is started.
6.
Writing birthday cards, get
well cards, thank you notes, or just notes of encouragement.
7.
Avoiding name-calling, silliness, coarseness, or
sarcasm (if you joke about something
enough, others may come to believe that what you’re joking about is true).
8.
Not interrupting others, but rather listening when
they’re speaking; not being boisterous.
9.
Fixing/repairing cars or other items for others, if you
are mechanically gifted.
10. Baking
or buying goodies for others.
11. Giving
a cheery hello/goodbye when appropriate; smiling.
12. Not
being humorous or light when the situation merits seriousness.
13. Saying
thank you and please; expressing appreciation for things that people do for
you.
14. Calling
people on the phone to wish them well or see how they’re doing; tell them that
you’re praying for them, if in fact you are.
15. Asking
questions about another person, expressing interest in them.
16. Taking
care of another’s possessions, especially if they’re kind enough to lend them
to you.
17. Loaning
things to people who need them.
18. Buying,
bringing, or making little things for people that you know they like/enjoy (snacks, etc.).
19. Helping
people who are sick – bringing them medicine, meals, or helping them with tasks
they have.
20. Asking
if anyone needs something, if you are going to the store.
21. Complimenting
others on things they do, how they look, what they say, etc.
22. Washing
someone’s car, taking care of pets/plants for people who go on vacation.
23. Reminding
others to do things they forget or things that are important so that they don’t
forget.
24. Giving
a helping hand with something heavy that someone’s carrying.
25. Saying
“excuse me” when needed. When sneezing, leave the room or use a handkerchief.
26. When
sick, stay home and don’t spread your illness to others.
27. Not
using or abusing people; not taking advantage of someone else’s generosity.
28. Being
on time to meetings/appointments; not being late, thinking that your time is
more important.