Just because the Bible teaches us to be kind doesn’t mean it’s easy to do.  We often don’t want to be kind to the person who could benefit from it.  Sometimes it’s because we are feeling selfish, or we have been hurt by that person and don’t want to forgive him. Sometimes we think we are too busy to help him.

There are two special Bible stories that first come to my mind when I think of kindness. The one is of Joseph.  Even after his brothers hatefully sold him as a slave he helped them.  When they came to Egypt to buy grain he tested their motives but in his heart he forgave them.  Eventually he told them who he was and made a way for them to come live in Egypt so they would have food.

The other story is the well known account of the Good Samaritan.  He went out of his way to help a needy stranger that was hurt.  He was on his way to somewhere but when he saw the hurt stranger he had compassion; he had pity on him. He bandaged his wounds, poured oil and wine on them to clean them and to help heal them, and then he put him on his own donkey and took him to a safe place.  He even paid the innkeeper to take care of him and promised to come back to complete his mission of kindness.

We should definitely be kind to our friends and the people in our lives that are kind to us; that is the easy part.  God also wants us to be kind and help any person in our life whom we can help. God promises us that if we love even our enemies and help them He will reward us. If you are merciful to others God will be merciful to you.  He will bring people to you to help you with your problems too.