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Lord's Day Liturgy

The King’s Kindness

Once David had been king for a while, having established his name through military victories and appointed a political cabinet, he appears to have enough time for some proactive kindness. “And David said, ‘Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?’” (2 Samuel 9:1). David had promised that he wouldn’t cut off all Saul’s offspring (1 Samuel 24:21-22), and this goes further. It turned out, there was a surviving, though crippled, son of Jonathan named Mephibosheth. David sent and had Mephibosheth carried over 100 miles back to his palace.

“David said to him, ‘Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” (2 Samuel 9:8). “So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table, like one of the king’s sons” (2 Samuel 9:11).

This story does not have a fourth-layer allegorical meaning. It does, though, illustrate a principle, and gives us some parallels to consider.

When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4-7)

God purposed to show us kindness for His name’s sake. We share with Him as sons and daughters of the King. He has promised us an inheritance of His everlasting kindness. He has brought us near, and we commune “around the table of the King.”

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Lord's Day Liturgy

More Than a Covering

Is it more important to be correct or to be kind? That is not a false dilemma; the premise of the question isn’t about exclusion but about priority. If you were thinking about a man who was complete in Christ, which of the two characteristics would be more memorable?

Before I say more, I am touchy-feely…at least about my Bible covers. I once shipped my Hebrew-Greek combo Bible to Mexico for six months in order to get a calf-skin cover on it. When you open the Bible, the Bible says it is profitable for rebuke and correction (2 Timothy 3:16). The Word is a gift for our understanding. God is love, and God is light, and we ought to want the light on bright.

But, you’ve been hearing me repeat the fruit of the Spirit for a few weeks now. Interesting, isn’t it, that the same Spirit who breathed-out the Word does more (not less) than make us accurate. He didn’t say anywhere among the nine attributes that the fruit is knowledge, understanding, or wisdom; nowhere is being correct, or having a critical Spirit.

The list does talk about fruit including kindness (χρηστότης, Galatians 5:22), and that is more than just a covering.

God Himself is kind. Taste and see that the Lord is kind (χρηστὸς, 1 Peter 2:3; though the ESV translates it as “good,” it’s the same Greek cognate). His kindness leads to repentance (χρηστὸν, Romans 2:4).

What does it mean to be kind? What does it feel like when someone isn’t kind to you?

It is spiritual and godly and wise to be kind. “A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.” (Proverbs 11:17, see also Proverbs 21:21).