Growing – Brotherly Kindness

2 Peter 1:7, “and in your godliness, brotherly kindness…”

I would like to believe that most of society understands the concept of brotherly kindness. Surely we all know how to do good for someone close to us. In the absence of social dysfunction we normally would do good or act kindly to a brother or sister or mother or friend or co-worker. Jesus acknowledges this ability to do good in Matt 7:11 when He said, “if you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father…”

And yet as much as we know, almost instinctively, about doing good, about being kind to those who are close to us and perhaps even deserving, the brotherly kindness that is a quality of Christ, and that is supplied by faith, moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, and godliness is more than this earth bound kindness.

Sure we can copy, emulate, even create acts of kindness from our own will but there is a deeper brotherly kindness that originates from heaven. It is perfect kindness in accordance with what God deems as kindness. This is not to say stop being kind just because you are uncertain if it is God’s perfect will, but it is to say look deeper.

Christ is our example, and what were some of His acts of kindness? We certainly know that He and His disciples gave money to the poor. (Matt 26) We know that He feed the multitudes at least twice when they were hungry albeit miraculously. We know that He was often moved with compassion and healed the sick. All these things can certainly be considered kindness. Now perhaps you do not have the faith to raise the dead, but we all certainly have the words to pray for those who have needs beyond our abilities. And there are certainly plenty in need of some form of kindness that is well within our ability at the time.

In the end our acts of kindness, inspired or not by the Holy Spirit, are all considered by God as done unto Him. In the end increasing in the Christ-like quality of brotherly kindness increases us in the ultimate goal of knowing Him subjectively. In Matt 25:35-40, “For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.”

And so with this perfect example of brotherly kindness I can’t help but notice what brotherly kindness is not. Brotherly kindness is not advice. Brotherly kindness is not saying be warm and filled when you could afford giving a blanket and a meal. It is not saying, if you will (fill in the blank) you would not be hungry or sick or poor.

Can anyone tell me of a single time when Jesus gave someone advice. To the rich young ruler looking for advice on how to get to heaven He said, “follow Me.” To the woman at the well who wondered aloud where to get living water He said, “I am the Living Water.” Follow Me… that is always Christ’ advice. And if we will follow Him we will come headlong into brother kindness and brotherly kindness will increase until it can support love. If we follow Him we will one day not follow just a trail of tracks, but we will come upon Him where He will invite us to walk with Him but along that trail of Jesus footsteps there will be people (or Christ disguised as people) who are in need of a little kindness. Stop to express it, and see what follows.