What It Means to Be Kind
WHAT does it mean to be kind? To be kind means to be truly helpful. Kindness is love in action, for true love is practical. To be kind can mean to have a disposition to sympathy and helpfulness, a sympathetic interest in others’ welfare. The word chrestós, translated “kind” in the Christian Greek Scriptures, is even more forceful, for it means “being helpful toward others.”
Yes, being kind does not mean just being sentimental. Neither does it mean to humor people in their weaknesses. It means being truly helpful to those in need of help. Empathy will help us to see how we can be helpful in both little ways and big ways.
For example, it had been raining torrents in the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador, May of 1969. The streets were muddy and slippery. An elderly missionary hurrying along slipped and fell, landing with his hip on the curbstone. When he tried to get up he was in such pain that he could not do so. He looked around for help, but it was between twenty and thirty minutes before someone showed kindness by inquiring if he could help. This person then notified the missionary’s friends of his predicament.
When they came to the scene they painstakingly lifted him into the back of a station wagon and took him to a clinic, where X rays revealed that he had a T-fracture, one of the worst that the doctors at the clinic had ever seen. How grateful he was that someone had shown him kindness! How grateful his wife and friends were as well! And without a doubt the one who showed kindness also felt happy that he had lent a helping hand.
Why do so few people show themselves kind these days? One reason no doubt is selfishness. People show less and less neighbor love. The crowded condition of large cities of itself is conducive to being indifferent to the needs of others. And so is the fast pace of modern living. People are always in a hurry, and it takes time to be helpful. Others are afraid of getting involved.
Yet the very fact that we have received so much kindness from our Creator, Jehovah God, obligates us to show kindness to others. What a fine example he has set in being kind! Seeing the plight of humankind, he showed “kindness and the love for man” by giving “his only-begotten Son” so that those exercising faith in him might get everlasting life.—Titus 3:4; John 3:16.
Those exercising such faith are said to have “tasted that the Lord [Jesus] is kind.” (1 Pet. 2:3) Jesus’ life certainly was one of showing kindness, being helpful toward others. He showed kindness by feeding the hungry multitudes and by curing their diseases. What a kindness it was for him to raise from the dead the only son of a widow at the city of Nain! (Luke 7:11-17) What a kindness it was for him to restore his friend Lazarus to life and to his mourning sisters! (John 11:1-44) He also showed kindness by ministering to the spiritual needs of the people, ‘teaching them many things.’ And he showed the greatest possible kindness by laying down his human life for us.—Mark 6:34; Matt. 20:28.
Kindness should begin within the family circle. And it means many things there. For example, it means for the husband to dwell with his wife “according to knowledge,” taking into account her vicissitudes. (1 Pet. 3:7) Wives can show kindness by not being critical of their husbands and not bothering them with petty aggravations. Fathers can show kindness by spending time with their children both for instruction and recreation and not irritating them needlessly. (Eph. 6:4) Children can show kindness by expressing appreciation for all that their parents do for them. This can be done not only by words but by being helpful around the home, keeping their own rooms neat, helping mother with the dishes and suchlike chores.
The thoughtful Christian also shows kindness in many little ways at the meeting place of his congregation. He introduces himself to the stranger and makes him feel welcome. He has an encouraging word for old folks who may seem lonely and shows interest in young folks who may feel neglected. He is alert to assist any needing help in getting to and from the local Kingdom Hall.
Today there are many upright persons in the world who are sorely in need of spiritual help. Ever so many are “sighing and groaning over all the detestable things that are being done.” It is being truly kind for Christian witnesses of Jehovah to lend these a helping hand, to bring comfort to these, to minister to their spiritual needs.—Ezek. 9:4; Matt. 5:3, 6.
This Christian ministers do by going from house to house with the good news of God’s kingdom; by making return visits and by conducting Bible studies in the homes of those wanting to understand their Bibles. They kindly offer Bible magazines on street corners and preach incidentally as opportunity affords. And while doing these things they do not neglect showing kindness in other ways, which often results in furthering their ministry.
Thus a storm blew down a large tree in the yard of a couple who had manifested some interest in God’s Word. In vain they sought help from neighbors, friends and relatives to get this fallen tree cleared away. A group of Witnesses, aware of their problem, helpfully called one day with a power saw, and, though finding no one at home, cut up the tree and left a neat pile of kindling wood. When the interested couple came home and learned what the Witnesses had done—when none of their own friends, neighbors and relatives had shown a willingness to help—were they surprised! They concluded that there must be something special about the Witnesses’ religion that they ought to know about. They found out by means of a Bible study in their home, which resulted in both becoming Witnesses.
Being kind means being truly helpful where there is genuine need and especially in what is upbuilding to another. Such kindness results in happiness to others and even greater happiness to the one showing kindness.—Acts 20:35.