I like this quote by Publilius Syrus, “You can accomplish by kindness what you cannot by force.” This is so true! People respond to kindness. A kind word or deed can touch even the hardest hearts, and open them up.  Kindness makes people feel special and valued. Proverbs 15:1 (CEV) even says kindness calms people down, “A kind answer soothes angry feelings, but harsh words stir them up.”

In I Corinthians 13:4 it says, “Love is kind.” The root word for kind here actually means mild and pleasant as opposed to harsh, hard, sharp and bitter. It can also mean kind and benevolent. 

God is pleasant and full of joy.  He created humor.  He created laughter.  He wants us to enjoy our lives!  He created diversity.  He created beauty.  He is a good God.

But I have to be honest, that’s not how I saw Him.  I saw Him as harsh and mean.  Just waiting for me to mess up so that He could take me out.  I thought God didn’t like me and was just looking for a reason to get rid of me.  Those were lies!  The truth was that loved me.  The truth is that God is kind, I just couldn’t see it.  I believed the lies. 

Jeremiah 31:3 says that His loving-kindness is what draws people to Him, “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with loving-kindness I have drawn you.” It’s interesting to me that our being drawn to God and our repentance are both related to God’s kindness.  It’s like the quote says, kindness can do what commands and force can never do.

Joel 2:12-13 tells us that we should turn to God knowing that he’s kind, gracious and merciful.  We should not be afraid to go approach him, because of his great kindness!  ““Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm.”

It doesn’t say you better repent because God’s mad and going to take you out! It doesn’t say God’s looking for someone to torture and torment! It says God wants you to come to Him and choose to be in a relationship with Him.  He wants to bless you!  It says turn to Him genuinely, and He will receive you because God is of great kindness.

Isaiah 54:8 tells us that even if God is angry, He’s still full of mercy and kindness, ““With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” Says the Lord, your Redeemer.” God does get angry.  But it says “for a moment.”  And even when He’s angry, He still does not change.  He was and is and always will be love.  And that means God is kind.

I’ll leave you with a song that I really love It’s called “You are Good” and is by Kari Jobe and Gateway Worship:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIcMDeEzA24

If you are unable to access youtube, here are some of the lyrics-  “Your kindness leads me to repentance. Your goodness draws me to Your side. Your mercy calls me to be like You. Your favor is my delight. Every day I’ll awaken my praise and pour out a song from my heart.” -From “You are Good” by Kari Jobe