Kindness can be unbelievably hard to come across.  Being kind to a stranger takes minimal effort—effort which is often ignored—but, it can become a more trying conquest to be kind to the ones whom we know well and love most.

It’s almost too easy to become tart with someone who talks behind our back, a close friend who we have recently been in conflict with, or simply someone who habitually annoys us.  It’s so easy to give up on these types of relational interactions, not understanding someone else’s motive, but we are so quick to forget our own shortcoming when judging our own companion.

We do this to God repeatedly, yet He is so kind to us.   He allows us to deal with consequences of sin—separation from Him—but He does not leave us there.  Even when we willingly choose to sin—to hurt God, again, during moments when we know better—He does not abandon us.  Yes, He is a just God who becomes angry in us and in our sin, but He does not abandon us.  Hosea 2:14 says “Therefore, behold, I will allure her [Israel], and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.”  This was written during a time of Israeli peace and prosperity.  Unfortunately, this prosperity led to moral decay: the unfaithfulness of God’s people.

While Israel was amidst sin—paralleled to our own sin—God said He would allure them.  He makes Himself known, and draws us back.  He allows us to trek through the wilderness to remind us of His constant love.  Hosea reveals a back and forth conversation: God permits Israel to choose sin and to experience its consequences, yet God reveals so much of His love, faithfulness, and grace through their unfaithfulness.

Even in our reproof, He is tender.  He is tender time after time, forgiving us of our own sin, and shaping us to become more like Him.

It’s a profound grace, a surreal kindness.  It’s beautiful; it inspires awe.  This is our God and King, the only Lord.  And He loves us, He serves us, He sent His Son to die for us.  Us: a people who sin against Him frequently for the sake of our own desires.  Us: a people who ignores His instruction and hinders His love from entering our lives.  Us: who can barely manage to be kind to those who love us the most when they need us to show them the greatest love.  Us: who choose selfishness over serving the Lord who has given us all that we have and will have.  Us: His ungrateful children.  Us: His children.  Us: His beloved.  Us: the ones whom God loves.  And yet we pursue sin against Him and curse His name.

We ought to love and forgive and show a profound grace like He does, even to the people who “least” deserve it in the moment.  To the sibling who’s “crossed the line, for the last time;” through those long and drawn out arguments with a spouse; to that one friend who takes and takes, but never invests in a relationship.  Those situations are opportunities to shower grace and to give love, not just nuisances.  Kindness is lacking, and tenderness is needed.

Yet, for some reason, we make it so hard to give.

For Further Reading:

Hosea 2

I John 3:1

Romans 2:4

Ephesians 3:32

Proverb 3:3

Matthew 9:13

Micah 7:18

Isaiah 30:18

Romans 6