The law of kindness
“She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” (Prov. 31:26).
Among the many qualities of goodness of this virtuous woman is kindness. She remembers her husband and children, but her heart goes far beyond the boundaries of her beloved home.
Verse 20 says that among all her enterprises she never forgets to help those in worse condition than she is. “She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.” She even plays a part in the local economy with her small business and investment of a modest piece of property. Thus the Lord makes her a blessing to a thousand people of all ranks of the community.
Kindness—isn’t it beautiful? Who will spurn a kindness? Who will turn down the love and open-heartedness of anyone, whether from friend or stranger? I know I wouldn’t and I’m not different from the rest of humanity in this respect. We are all starving for love.
Kindness is gentle; kindness is thoughtful of others’ need. It remembers my hurt and works to heal me. Even in observing a kindness to others brings healing to our soul; and by beholding we become changed into the image we see in it.
The proverbist equates kindness to wisdom. Verse 26, as quoted above, uses the parallelism of typical Hebrew poetry when it describes the words that flow from the mouth of this virtuous lady.
Truly, “the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” (Jas. 3:17). True wisdom is kind. It works to soften reproof and correction because it is borne out of love, self-sacrificing love. This was the essence of Christ’s work while He was on earth, and it has been His ministry for us in the heavenly sanctuary from the foundation of the world. “Christ Jesus…is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” (1Cor. 1:30).
This woman has forged kindness into a law. The Holy Spirit has so impressed upon her soul the Father’s righteousness, that wisdom and kindness shine out in all her words and actions. She “feareth the Lord.” (Prov. 31:30). She heeds all His injunctions, “Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy… And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God…. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD…. And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.” (Lev. 19:2,9,10,18,33,34). His Law is in her heart. His law of kindness—His kindness . The wisdom of kindness.
She demonstrates that the Law is not our enemy. The Law of kindness means serving and uplifting those around us and those far away. The demands of the Law of God—purely objectively speaking—are a blessing, not a curse to be inoculated against nor destroyed. It is when we get subjective that the Law seems to be our enemy. “The law worked wrath” (Rom. 4:15) because it unrelentingly exposes the sinner’s weakness and faultiness. Sinners see the Law as overbearing and unforgiving. They are at odds with the Law of kindness because kindness to all, even to the sinner’s enemies, is too high a standard. Love is required of the Law’s standard of morality—perfect love, all-encompassing love; and this the sinner cannot manufacture. The Law creates anger in sinners because sin takes pride in its great morality, loveless and self-centered, though it is.
But just because the sinner is too proud to accept the Law in all its glory doesn’t change the beautiful character of the Law. Its rejection simply further exposes the ugliness of sin in the sinner.
Nevertheless, the Law is all about kindness. It isn’t about good words and deeds that we have to do, but rather, it is about blessing others that we have the privilege of doing. It isn’t about righteousnes that we are burdened to perform. The Law of God isn’t bondage when the Spirit of God has changed a sinner into a saint and given him the willingness to keep the Law. Actually, sin is the real bondage. “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”(Jn. 8:34-36).
The only way to get to the mindset of willing, perfect kindness, the desire to be a blessing to everyone is through justification by God. We must bow to the convicting work of the Holy Spirit through repentance, and surrender, and let the redeeming power of God reformat our brains. Then we will see righteousness and perfect kindness in all its true glory. Satan’s delusions will have fallen from our eyes through the redeeming power of God and we will be reconciled to God and to His Law.
The Law is kindness. God is a God of kindness. “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared.” (Titus 3:3,4). “Thy gentleness hath made me great.” (Ps. 18:35).
Among the many qualities of goodness of this virtuous woman is kindness. She remembers her husband and children, but her heart goes far beyond the boundaries of her beloved home.
Verse 20 says that among all her enterprises she never forgets to help those in worse condition than she is. “She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.” She even plays a part in the local economy with her small business and investment of a modest piece of property. Thus the Lord makes her a blessing to a thousand people of all ranks of the community.
Kindness—isn’t it beautiful? Who will spurn a kindness? Who will turn down the love and open-heartedness of anyone, whether from friend or stranger? I know I wouldn’t and I’m not different from the rest of humanity in this respect. We are all starving for love.
Kindness is gentle; kindness is thoughtful of others’ need. It remembers my hurt and works to heal me. Even in observing a kindness to others brings healing to our soul; and by beholding we become changed into the image we see in it.
The proverbist equates kindness to wisdom. Verse 26, as quoted above, uses the parallelism of typical Hebrew poetry when it describes the words that flow from the mouth of this virtuous lady.
Truly, “the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” (Jas. 3:17). True wisdom is kind. It works to soften reproof and correction because it is borne out of love, self-sacrificing love. This was the essence of Christ’s work while He was on earth, and it has been His ministry for us in the heavenly sanctuary from the foundation of the world. “Christ Jesus…is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” (1Cor. 1:30).
This woman has forged kindness into a law. The Holy Spirit has so impressed upon her soul the Father’s righteousness, that wisdom and kindness shine out in all her words and actions. She “feareth the Lord.” (Prov. 31:30). She heeds all His injunctions, “Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy… And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God…. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD…. And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.” (Lev. 19:2,9,10,18,33,34). His Law is in her heart. His law of kindness—His kindness . The wisdom of kindness.
She demonstrates that the Law is not our enemy. The Law of kindness means serving and uplifting those around us and those far away. The demands of the Law of God—purely objectively speaking—are a blessing, not a curse to be inoculated against nor destroyed. It is when we get subjective that the Law seems to be our enemy. “The law worked wrath” (Rom. 4:15) because it unrelentingly exposes the sinner’s weakness and faultiness. Sinners see the Law as overbearing and unforgiving. They are at odds with the Law of kindness because kindness to all, even to the sinner’s enemies, is too high a standard. Love is required of the Law’s standard of morality—perfect love, all-encompassing love; and this the sinner cannot manufacture. The Law creates anger in sinners because sin takes pride in its great morality, loveless and self-centered, though it is.
But just because the sinner is too proud to accept the Law in all its glory doesn’t change the beautiful character of the Law. Its rejection simply further exposes the ugliness of sin in the sinner.
Nevertheless, the Law is all about kindness. It isn’t about good words and deeds that we have to do, but rather, it is about blessing others that we have the privilege of doing. It isn’t about righteousnes that we are burdened to perform. The Law of God isn’t bondage when the Spirit of God has changed a sinner into a saint and given him the willingness to keep the Law. Actually, sin is the real bondage. “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”(Jn. 8:34-36).
The only way to get to the mindset of willing, perfect kindness, the desire to be a blessing to everyone is through justification by God. We must bow to the convicting work of the Holy Spirit through repentance, and surrender, and let the redeeming power of God reformat our brains. Then we will see righteousness and perfect kindness in all its true glory. Satan’s delusions will have fallen from our eyes through the redeeming power of God and we will be reconciled to God and to His Law.
The Law is kindness. God is a God of kindness. “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared.” (Titus 3:3,4). “Thy gentleness hath made me great.” (Ps. 18:35).
posted by David | 7:18 AM
2 Comments:
David,
This particular post about kindness has just reminded me when there was cival war in Uganda and every one freeing for a dear life. I ended in a town where there was a little peace but young and on my own. An old man helped to keep me till peace returned in the vilaage and I went home. I love the way you put it that God is a God of kindness. He is kinder than all
Daniel
Yes, Daniel, His kindness is everlasting, non-stop.
Thanks brother.
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