Fruitful Living
The fruit of Kindness
• Kindness is a chritsian value
“But the fruit of the Spirit is kindness.” – Galatians 5:22 (NIV)
INTRODUCTION
Kindness is a basic need of every human. Down through the ages, many efforts have been made to motivate and reward people in order to meet this need at different levels. Sermons have been preached, coaching done, books written, and other measures taken to appeal to our shared humanity to help us to open the blocked reservoir of the “milk of human kindness.” May the LORD Himself pour into our hearts this milk and make us bear this fruit of the Holy Spirit who indwells us.
1. KINDNESS, ALWAYS APPLYING THE GOLDEN RULE
- Prejudice blocks the way of those who would like to practise the Golden Rule.
- Kindness starts with caring; being tender-hearted and compassionate toward others. We must make it our goal and habit to be actively looking for opportunities to show kindness.
- Kindness is listening to the hurt even if they are not our kind, or even if they don’t adhere to our religion.
- Kindness is applying the Golden Rule to all – even those beyond our sociological or ethnic circle. ‘Do to others what you would have them to do to you’ – Matthew 7:12, is the key to a majestic kindness that changes the world.
2. KINDNESS, ANGER WASHED BY GRACE
Kindness is the hallmark of God’s control of our lives. People who have submitted themselves to God’s control exhibit this grace. What is the evidence of kindness in life? Kind people are interruptible. They can stop what they are doing and care for others.
Jesus’ biography appears sometimes a haphazard hodgepodge of good deeds. Why is this so when He came to establish the kingdom of God? Because Jesus’ compassion allowed Him to be interrupted by the need of others; His great heart of kindness could not pass by anyone’s call for help. So He established the kingdom, but never by being unkind to the needy who thronged about Him throughout His ministry. Kindness is controlling our emotions and allowing the needs of others to interrupt our scheduled lives.
The world is looking for kindness. When people see our lives of openness and accessibility, then God opens a door for us to minister to them. In fact, kindness paves the way for our service. Kindness brings God close to those who need Him.
3. KINDNESS AS A WORLD VIEW
Amos 5:11-13 tells us the story of kindness by showing what unkindness is. The unkind in Amos’s day built stone mansions, elaborately landscaped with lush vineyards. Yet, they continued to take from the poor. Amos points to the unkind and calls them to repentance. He promises that judgement will come upon those who continually disregard the need of others.
Despite our own comfortable existence, we can become overwhelmed with the needs of the world. We wonder how one person can make any difference. We find we have little time to spare for the poor. Kindness is our willingness to care about others who may not have our standard of living. But the bottom line is that God expects our compassion. Citizens of God’s kingdom model the attributes of God and help others. God desires our kindness to spread His healing to others. As we show kindness to others, we share God with them and take away their sorrows. Surely kindness and empathy will heighten our own relationship with Christ.
4. KINDNESS AND OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST
God is kind, and His ultimate display of kindness was the sacrifice of His Son for the sins of all people. God loved the world so much that His kindness was spent to the very last drop of Christ’s blood. God created humanity to glorify Him, yet humans sinned and did not glorify Him. In fact, human rebellion required God to answer humanity’s sin with the life of His Son. The kindness of God leads the world to repentance. What a heavy penalty must be levied against all those who see the kindness of Calvary and walk past it unchanged.
5. KINDNESS, THE APPROACH TO GRACE
Josiah experienced the kindness of God first-hand (2 Chronicles 34:19-28). He understood God’s kindness when he became the recipient of God’s grace. Josiah knew his people and nation had sinned and forgotten God. Yet this king received incredible news from God: Josiah would be spared from disaster. His humility and contrition had led to forgiveness. God demonstrated grace to Josiah through these simple words, ‘I have heard you’.
When we consider God’s redeeming love in our lives, we are able to separate the smaller, everyday kindness of God from the truly great kindness of being spared from punishment for our sins. That is the grace of God and the kindness of Christ. Kindness and grace are sisters, if not identical twins. Martin Luther wrote that Jesus’ kindness is but God’s approach to grace and that we would do well to emulate Jesus’ kindness.
PRACTICAL WAYS OF SHOWING KINDNESS
- All humans continually enjoy the kindness of God and man on a regular basis. It might not be in the form or amount that we expect, but when we reflect on it, we will find ourselves as beneficiaries of more acts of kindness than we previously thought. And once we are beneficiaries, we need to become donors.
- Being kind is not as difficult as many make it out to be. When linked to the right Source—Jesus Christ, through His indwelling Spirit—every human will become a healthy, fruit-laden branch of kindness, offering the fruit to people within our close spheres of influence and beyond.
- Kindness is not a cloak that we can put on and off at will, but a way of life that we must adopt. If we are kind, it will reflect in our thoughts, words and actions. In our minds, kindness will prevail over hasty judgements, condemnation of others, evil suspicions, and surmising, evil plotting, anger, envy, jealousy, and hate will have no place there.
- If we are kind, our words will be seasoned with grace. Insults, slander, gossip, lies, curses and other foul words will not proceed from our mouths nor will we utter blasphemy. We will encourage, bind, heal, bless and spread sunshine to others with our words. Harsh, angry, resentful words will find no place on our tongue, and nothing that stings, shocks, or shames will we speak to another.
- Kindness in our actions will be manifest in thoughtful deeds and the offer of understanding, acceptance, and forgiveness to all, restitution to those we have wronged, restoration of the repentant, relieving of burdens of the young, the old, the sick and suffering. We will respond to observed needs and give hope to those bowed in shame and pain.
To Ponder: “kindness has converted more sinners than zeal, eloquence, or learning.” As you sow the seeds of the unique message of the gospel to others, remember to water it liberally with kindness, in your thoughts, words, and actions. Then, watch it grow – Frederick William Faber
Stay blessed!
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By Dr Joyce Aryee, the author
Fruitful Living
Has man lost the essence of his creation? A reflective call to rediscover our divine purpose (Part 1)
Introduction: Rediscoveringour purpose
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. We praise Him, seek His help and forgiveness, and ask for His mercy. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our noble Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), his family, his companions, and all those who follow his guidance until the Day of Judgment.
In today’s increasingly materialistic and turbulent world, a profound question echoes louder than ever: Has man lost the essence of his creation? It is a question that compels every thinking soul to pause and reflect deeply.
In the midst of scientific breakthroughs, booming technology, and economic pursuits, we must ask ourselves: are we fulfilling the sacred purpose for which we were created? Are we still living as stewards of Allah on earth, or have we strayed from our divine assignment?
This article explores the Qur’anic foundation of man’s creation, the noble position he holds, and the deviation from this divine path in modern times. It further calls for a return to spiritual consciousness and outlines practical steps to help realign mankind with his intended purpose.
Man: Allah’s Vicegerent on Earth
The Qur’an states: “And when your Lord said to the angels, ‘Indeed, I will make upon the earth a vicegerent (Khalifah)…’” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:30).
This declaration marks the beginning of man’s honorable journey on earth. Mankind was created from clay, as recorded in Surah Al-Hijr:
“And We did certainly create man out of clay from an altered black mud. And the jinn We created before from scorching fire. And [mention] when your Lord said to the angels, ‘I will create a human being out of clay from an altered black mud.’ So when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration.” (Surah Al-Hijr, 15:26-29).
This prostration of angels was not to worship Adam, but to recognize the honor Allah had bestowed upon man. It signified a spiritual hierarchy in which man, though of earthly origin, carries a divine trust and responsibility.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasized this dignity. He taught that every human is born upon the natural disposition (fitrah) and bears the potential to fulfill their purpose as a servant of Allah and custodian of His creation.
The Purpose of Creation
Allah did not create man in vain. The Qur’an states clearly: “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Surah Adh-Dhariyat, 51:56).
“And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion.” (Surah Al-Bayyinah, 98:5).
Another profound verse underscores that life was not created aimlessly:
“And We did not create the heaven and the earth and that between them aimlessly. That is the assumption of those who disbelieve, so woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire.”(Surah Sad, 38:27).
These verses convey that creation is intentional, meaningful, and divinely ordained. The essence of man’s creation lies in his recognition of Allah, his conscious submission to the Divine Will, and his dedication to a life of worship, service, and ethical living.
Worship in Islam is not confined to rituals alone but extends to every aspect of human existence—how we earn, govern, lead our families, engage with society, and preserve the environment. Every righteous deed done with sincerity for Allah’s pleasure becomes an act of worship.
Imam Al-Ghazali explains in Ihya Ulum al-Din that true worship stems from knowledge of Allah and a heart that submits lovingly to His will. Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah likewise stresses that man’s highest honor lies in fulfilling the purpose of servitude (`ubudiyyah) to Allah, which brings inner peace and divine elevation.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) demonstrated this perfect balance of worship and engagement in worldly affairs. He was a husband, a leader, a statesman, and a worshipper who said: “The most beloved deeds to Allah are the most consistent, even if they are few.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6464)
Living in harmony with this divine purpose not only brings personal fulfillment but also collective peace. Conversely, neglecting it results in moral confusion, injustice, and spiritual emptiness.
Therefore, recognizing and living by our purpose is not a luxury but a necessity. It is the key to real success in this life and salvation in the Hereafter.
By Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai, the Author
Fruitful Living
Trusting God with our anxieties (final)
Jesus not only instructs us not to worry — He explains why worrying is counterproductive to our well-being:
❖ Worry is blind. It refuses to learn from nature, history, or personal experience. Birds and flowers testify to God’s faithfulness. The history of Israel is filled with God’s miraculous provision — from Egypt to the Red Sea to the Promised Land (Deut. 8:14–15).
❖ Worry refuses to learn the lesson of life. Time and again, God has helped us bear the unbearable and overcome the insurmountable. He strengthens us even when we reach the breaking point — and keeps us from breaking.
❖ Worry is irreligious. It stems not from our external circumstances, but from a heart full of fear and distrust. Yet Scripture declares:“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” — Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)
The antidote to worry: El shaddai
Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” One of the most comforting names of God is El Shaddai, which first appears in Genesis 17:1 and appears 218 times in the Bible.
❖ El means “Strong One.”
❖ Shaddai means “The Breasted One.”
Together, El Shaddai paints a picture of God as:
❖ Our Strong Nourisher
❖ Strength Giver
❖ Satisfier
❖ All-Bountiful Supplier
❖ Fulfiller of Needs
❖ The Life-Giver who brings dead things back to life
(e.g., Abraham and Sarah conceiving Isaac at 150 and 90 years respectively)
In knowing who God is, we find the courage to release our anxieties. If He is truly El Shaddai — strong, sufficient, and sustaining — then we are safe in His hands.
Practical steps to peace
In Philippians 4:6–7, we are given a divine prescription for peace:
1. Stop being anxious and fretful. Recognize the emotional and spiritual toll of worry.
2. Go to God in prayer about everything. Nothing is too big or small.
3. Pray for yourself. God is your Father — your relationship with Him is personal.
4. Thank Him as you pray. Gratitude builds faith and reminds us of His past faithfulness.
When we do this, God’s peace — not the world’s peace — will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:7 (NIV)
CONCLUSION
We are living in uncertain times. Pressures abound and anxieties easily multiply. But as children of God, we are called to walk a different path — one of quiet confidence, steady trust, and daily surrender.
God’s Word is clear: worry doesn’t help — but trust in God brings peace. Let us shift our focus from fear to faith, from anxiety to adoration. Let us anchor our hearts in the unchanging character of El Shaddai — our Almighty God — and rest in His perfect care.
By Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee, the author
