Galatians 5:22–23 (NLT) tells us, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”
Our Heavenly Father has set the standard for kindness through His precious Son, Jesus Christ. John 3:16 (NLT) tells us, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” Think about the kindness our Heavenly Father has shown us through His plan of salvation. He didn’t wait for us to become worthy of His love, because there is no way we could have done that on our own. He gave His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from sin and its consequences. Our gratitude for what God has done should be through the roof, and one of the ways we can express that gratitude to Him is through the kindness we show to others. As children of God, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit, and He helps us demonstrate the nature of our Heavenly Father through the way we treat people.
01 — The Fruit: What Does It Mean?
Kindness is one of the ways we reflect the nature of God. It shows up in how we treat people, how we respond to their needs, and whether we’re willing to do something for someone without expecting anything in return. It’s more than being nice when we’re in a good mood or treating people well because they’ve been good to us. True kindness comes from a heart that cares about others. As the Holy Spirit works in us, He helps us look beyond our own needs and pay more attention to what others may be going through.
But let’s understand something. Being kind doesn’t mean we have to please everybody or agree with everything they say or do. Sometimes, kindness means telling someone the truth, even when it’s not what they want to hear. What matters is how we handle those moments. We can’t use the truth as an excuse to be harsh with people and then say we’re showing them the love of Christ. We have to pay attention to our hearts and the way we speak to others. The kindness the Holy Spirit produces in us should reflect God’s character and never go against His Word.
02 — We See It in Jesus Christ
Through His life and ministry on earth, our blessed Lord and Savior has given us an extraordinary example of the Spirit’s fruit. And when we look at the kindness He demonstrated toward others, it warms the heart. Jesus didn’t just speak about compassion. He showed it. He paid attention to people who were hurting, and He didn’t treat their suffering as though it was an inconvenience.
In Luke 7, we learn about a widow who was following the funeral procession of her only son. Think about the sorrow this woman was carrying. She had already lost her husband, and now she was burying her only child. Luke 7:13–15 (NLT) tells us, “When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. ‘Don’t cry!’ he said. Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. ‘Young man,’ he said, ‘I tell you, get up.’ Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.”
What a beautiful demonstration of the compassion of Jesus Christ! Scripture doesn’t tell us that this woman approached Him and asked for a miracle. Jesus saw her, and His heart overflowed with compassion. He understood her grief and responded to her need. Now, we don’t have the authority of Jesus Christ to raise the dead by our own power, but we can certainly learn from the compassion He demonstrated. We can pay attention when someone is hurting. We can offer encouragement, do what we can to make things easier for someone, and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in showing that we genuinely care.
Imagine a coworker comes into work one morning looking more down than usual. She’s not as talkative, and you can tell something is bothering her. Instead of asking if she’s okay, a few coworkers make comments about her attitude and complain that she’s not being her usual self. Nobody stops to consider that she may be dealing with something they know nothing about. Now, we can’t always know what people are going through, but we don’t have to know all the details to treat them with kindness. A simple, “Hey, you seem a little down today. Is everything okay?” can let someone know that we care. And even if she doesn’t want to talk about it, we can still be considerate in how we treat her. As ambassadors for Jesus Christ, kindness shouldn’t be something people have to ask us for. We should be willing to extend it because we understand that people have struggles we may never know about.
03 — The Fruit in Action: A Biblical Example
Jesus taught a powerful lesson about kindness through the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. A man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when robbers attacked him, stripped him of his clothes, beat him, and left him half dead beside the road. A priest came along and passed him by. Later, a Temple assistant also saw the injured man and passed by on the other side. Both had an opportunity to help, but neither stopped.
Then a Samaritan came along. The relationship between Jews and Samaritans was marked by deep hostility, so the Samaritan would not have been the person Jesus’ listeners expected to show compassion. Yet Luke 10:33–35 (NLT) tells us, “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’”
This Samaritan didn’t just feel sorry for the injured man. He did something to help him. He gave his time, spent his own money, and made sure the man would continue to receive care. He didn’t let their differences stop him from helping someone in need. That’s something we need to remember because kindness isn’t just for people we know or people we get along with. It’s not limited to those who believe what we believe, either. When God gives us an opportunity to show kindness, we should be willing to do it. Sometimes that means putting our own plans aside or giving up a little of our time to help somebody else. That’s what we see in the Samaritan’s actions. He was willing to do more than feel sorry for someone. He was willing to help.
04 — When the Holy Spirit Grows This Fruit in Us
Convenience sometimes has to take a backseat when it comes to expressing Christlike kindness to others. There will be times when it takes us out of our comfort zones. There will be times when people are unkind to us, when we’re tired, or when we have more than enough concerns of our own. It’s easy to be thoughtful and considerate when everything is going well, but the Holy Spirit helps us demonstrate kindness even when our circumstances aren’t pleasant. He works in our hearts so that we don’t allow irritation, selfishness, or resentment to determine how we treat others.
Ephesians 4:32 (NLT) instructs us, “Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Notice that kindness and forgiveness are brought together in this verse. We can’t hold on to bitterness and expect our relationships to reflect the kindness of Christ. This doesn’t mean we pretend that someone hasn’t wronged us, and it certainly doesn’t mean we must allow someone to continue mistreating us. But it does mean that we must be willing to forgive as God has commanded and refuse to let an unforgiving heart govern our actions.
Colossians 3:12 (NLT) tells us, “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Think about what it means to clothe ourselves with kindness. Just as we make a decision about what we’re going to wear when we begin our day, we should make a conscious decision to demonstrate the character of Christ in the way we live. We have the responsibility to yield to the Holy Spirit, and as we do, He helps us become more thoughtful, more compassionate, and more willing to bless others. Kindness should become such a regular part of our lives that people can see the goodness of God through our actions.
05 — What This Fruit Looks Like in Our Lives Today
Sometimes, it’s not the really big things but the small acts of kindness that mean the most to God and to other people. Small acts of kindness, like remembering special days that are important to others, checking on someone who has been going through a difficult time, and speaking words of encouragement, can make a significant impact on people’s lives. Many of us overlook things like this. We’re busier than ever these days, but we must make an effort to show kindness. It should be our constant prayer that we do. We should never become so occupied with our own lives that we stop paying attention to the people God has placed around us.
We also need to remember that kindness isn’t always going to cost us money. Sometimes it costs us a little time, a little patience, or a willingness to put our own preferences aside. We can be kind by listening when someone needs to talk, helping without being asked, or offering encouragement to someone who feels forgotten. We can show kindness in our homes, on our jobs, in our churches, and even in the way we respond to strangers. The Holy Spirit will help us recognize these opportunities, but we must be willing to follow His guidance.
We have a responsibility to leave a lasting mark of God’s love. It should be our continual habit to leave a situation better than it was before we came. People should be better off in some way for having crossed our paths. This is what it means to be kind. And if we have any doubt about whether we’re leaving this mark of spiritual goodness, we should continue to pray and allow the Holy Spirit to show us where we need to grow. We won’t always have an opportunity to do something extraordinary, but every day gives us opportunities to demonstrate the kindness of our Heavenly Father. As we yield to the Holy Spirit, His kindness will become more evident in our lives, and others will be blessed because of it.
Examining Our Walk
- Are we demonstrating kindness only toward people who treat us well, or are we allowing the Holy Spirit to help us show kindness even when it’s difficult?
- Have we become so occupied with our own responsibilities that we’re overlooking opportunities to encourage or help others?
- When people cross our paths, are they experiencing the kindness and compassion of Jesus Christ through the way we treat them?
Closing Scripture — Proverbs 3:3 (NLT)
“Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart.”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
“The Spirit’s Fruit — Kindness”, written by Reverend Fran Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2026. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to encouraging and inspiring Christian Women to live boldly through God’s Word.
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