Sunday, June 28, 2020
With Kindness Comes Blessings
1 Samuel 30:11-12, Then they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David; and they gave him bread and he ate, and they let him drink water. 12 And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. So when he had eaten, his strength came back to him; for he had eaten no bread nor drunk water for three days and three nights.
There are two things that makes this act of kindness extraordinary. First, the fact that King David was willing to interrupt his mission to rescue his own family and the families of his men, for a complete stranger, says much to us about taking up our cross and following Jesus daily. Just before this, King David was distressed because his men were at the point of stoning him for the loss they suffered at Ziklag. Yet, he was willing to pause his mission and take care of a stranger by using the very provisions that were available to take care of himself and his men. Secondly, King David did not waver, even after finding out that this stranger was a servant of the Amalekites, and had even participated in the raid, kidnapping of their families, and burning of Ziklag. Verses 13 and 14 read, “Then David said to him, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you from?’ And he said, ‘I am a young man from Egypt, servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me behind, because three days ago I fell sick. 14 We made an invasion of the southern area of the Cherethites, in the territory which belongs to Judah, and of the southern area of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.’” When we read this act of kindness David showed this servant, it is of little wonder that God called him a “man after God’s own heart”. Long before Jesus defined, for us, who is our neighbor (Luke 10:29ff), King David had already set the example. How many times have we had opportunity to demonstrate the love and kindness of Jesus to someone, even a stranger, and we unknowingly forfeited a blessing, because we were too busy trying to accomplish our own plans for the day? How often did we just not feel like being kind to someone simply because we did not know them, or maybe we knew them, but was holding a grudge against them? Hebrews 13:2 tells us, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.” In this case, King David’s act of kindness resulted in a great blessing. By being kind to this stranger, who turned out to be one who participated in the destruction of David’s dwelling place, King David inadvertently stumbled upon one who could help him accomplish his mission. More often than we might realize, the interruptions in our lives are often blessings disguised as tests, and opportunities to put our faith into action. For those of us who have called upon Jesus, and know Him as Savior and Lord, an act of kindness towards someone else is an act of faith, thanksgiving, and praise, for the greatest act of kindness that was shown to us first by God Himself. Titus 3:3-7 described this wonderful act, “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Will we be too busy today to take the time to be kind to that stranger God may put before us, or will we take up our cross and enjoy the blessing of sharing the love and kindness of Jesus? With everything that is happening in our world today, a simple decision to stop what we are doing and show a little heavenly kindness might be the difference between eternal condemnation and eternal life in the life of one who does not know Jesus Christ. It could be the one act of kindness that could encourage a struggling brother or sister in Christ, and more importantly, bring honor and glory to Jesus our Lord.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
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