LifeWay Bible Studies for Life Series for August 15: Demonstrate kindness

One of the many wonderful traits God displays to his children is kindness. Like grace and mercy, God often extends kindness even when it is not deserved. Unfortunately, too many who call themselves children of God have not been able to show kindness to others. Church members often are some of the most vicious people in the world. God desires for his children to take on his traits. The kindness David shows to the descendents of Saul is an excellent behavioral model for a world needing a bit more kindness.

Determine to show kindness (2 Samuel 9:1-3)

David had a long history with Saul and his family. David and Jonathan, Saul’s son, were best friends. David had made a pledge of support to Saul, Jonathan and their descendents (1 Samuel 20:14-15, 42 and 1 Samuel 24:21-22). Now, as David begins to settle into his reign as King of Israel, he remembers and honors the commitment he had made earlier.

David seeks to discover if any of Saul’s family still is alive. A servant of Saul named Ziba is discovered and he brings to the attention of the king one family member who lives—Mephibosheth.

Mephibosheth is crippled in both feet, the result of being dropped by a nurse while fleeing the palace (2 Samuel 4:4). David sends for Mephibosheth, and when he arrives, David blesses him and exhibits great kindness by returning to Mephibosheth all his grandfather Saul’s land and by making a place for him at the king’s own table.

David’s decision to bless Mephibosheth ran counter to the culture in which he lived. In his day and time, rulers would seek out members of a banished king’s family to destroy them. There was great fear that a descendent would rise up and attempt to lay claim to the throne of their fathers and forefathers.

This would give indication that David’s kindness does not appear to be a spontaneous decision. It appears to have been carefully considered as a fulfillment of his earlier commitment to Saul and Jonathan. It was an act whose genesis had occurred much earlier. This intimates kindness to be an act of the will, something over which an individual has control.

Today’s world is starving for acts of kindness. Even in the church, there seems to be a desire to pay back those who offend with equal or greater offensive acts. Events as small as personality conflicts can create an atmosphere of aggression rather than the much-needed expressions of kindness and understanding.

The modern believer could learn much from the intentionality of David’s kindness. It should also be noted that the decision to act in kindness and graciousness is not made in the heat of conflict. It is purposed in advance.

Seek opportunities to show kindness (2 Samuel 9:4-6)

When Mephibosheth earned an audience with the king, he no doubt was taken aback by David’s approach. David obviously took careful inventory and sought to discover ways for his kindness to have maximum affect. He could have simply restored Saul’s lands, and it would have appeared to all a great act of generosity.

But David saw Mephibosheth’s condition. He knew he would not be able to work the land to make provisions for himself and his household. David commanded Ziba, an old servant of Saul, for him and his sons to work for Mephibosheth and to make provision for him (2 Samuel 9:9-10).

David’s kindness extended even further. He recognized Mephibosheth’s loss of self image, due no doubt to his crippled condition (2 Samuel 9:8). Physically impaired people of that day, even if the belonged to a royal family, were hidden away from public view. But, David granted Mephibosheth status as a son of the king and give him a permanent place at the king’s table (2 Samuel 9:10).

David’s kindness toward Saul’s grandson is a foreshadowing of God’s kindness extended to a lost world through Christ. According to Scripture, every person is born with a sin nature which places all humanity at enmity with God. Sin desperately has marred the image of man. Yet God did not seek to destroy humanity. He showed great kindness to the world, “even while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God takes the broken and restores it to a thing of beauty. He converts the sinner into a saint and then claims them as his own child.

Practice kindness (2 Samuel 9:7-13)

The story of David’s kindness to Mephibosheth is a story of one man’s redemption. But it also is the story of one man who chose to practice the same behavior he had seen exhibited in God. David’s acts of kindness were completely selfless acts. Mephibosheth had nothing to offer him in return, and he recognized his own unworthiness (2 Samuel 9:8).

Scripture says God recognized David and said of him he was, “a man after my own heart” (Acts 13:22). Perhaps God recognized so much of himself exhibited in David’s life and it pleased him.  Regardless, David’s behavior exemplifies a man who understood the character of God and chose to behave as he perceived God himself would behave.

The beauty of the Bible is its story of men and women who walked with God. Often, there is the temptation to want to elevate characters of the Bible above normal human behavior, somehow thinking they were different and better than the average child of God today. David was just a man, but he was a man who walked with God. The longer he walked with God, the more he became like God.

Any believer can become like David. It begins with a decision to walk with God and progresses with behavior that emulates God’s. Extending undeserved acts of kindness is a telltale sign of a dynamic relationship with God.