Kindness is more than being polite, smiling, or avoiding harm. In Scripture, kindness is tied to justice, mercy, humility, and love. God does not only ask us to stop doing wrong; He calls us to actively seek what is right. That means we do not sit back and say, “At least I did not hurt anyone.” We ask, “How can I help? How can I make things right? How can I show mercy?”
The Bible says, “Seek righteousness, seek humility” in Zephaniah 2:3. That word “seek” matters. It means we must look for righteousness the way we look for something valuable. We pursue it. We keep going after it. Righteousness does not always come easily, because doing the right thing can cost us comfort, pride, time, or popularity. But God honors the humble heart that keeps seeking Him.
Deuteronomy 16:20 says, “Righteousness, and only righteousness you shall pursue.” Pursue is a strong word. It is not casual. It means chasing after justice with effort, eagerness, and persistence. Justice is not only something we admire from a distance; it is something we practice in our homes, our conversations, our workplaces, our churches, and our communities.
But God does not stop at justice. Through the prophet Micah, He tells us what He requires: “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). Notice the balance: do justice, love kindness, walk humbly. Justice without kindness can become cold. Kindness without justice can become weak. Humility keeps both in the right place, because it reminds us that we are not the center—God is.
To love kindness means kindness becomes something we desire, not just something we do when it is convenient. It means our hearts are trained to care. We begin to love mercy, forgiveness, patience, and compassion. We stop asking only, “What is required of me?” and begin asking, “What would love do here?”
Real kindness moves the center of our life away from ourselves. Instead of making everything about our feelings, our pride, our rights, or our convenience, love teaches us to see the other person. It asks us to notice the overlooked, defend the mistreated, encourage the weary, forgive the offender, and help the one who has nothing to give back.
This kind of kindness is not softness. It is strength under God’s control. It does not ignore evil; it hates evil and loves good. It does not pretend injustice is acceptable; it works to establish what is right. It does not boast about its goodness; it walks humbly with God.
So the love of kindness is a daily calling. It is choosing fairness when no one is watching. It is speaking gently when anger would be easier. It is showing mercy when judgment feels deserved. It is seeking righteousness even when the path is difficult. It is letting God shape our hearts until kindness becomes not just an action, but a love.
May we not only avoid doing wrong. May we pursue what is right. May we not only perform kindness. May we love it. And may we walk humbly with God, allowing His mercy to become visible through us.
Minister A Francine Green I June 2026