CHRESTOTES (Galatians 5: 22-25) 9/2/12

It’s part of the Boy Scout law. I must have said it a thousand times or more as a teenager. “A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind…” I don’t think Paul was a Boy Scout, but his list of nine virtues comprising the fruit of the Spirit isn’t far off from the Boy Scout law. As to kindness, or chrestotes, as is its Greek counterpart, well, it’s number 5 on Paul’s list and second on the list of  outer character traits which will help to create and nurture the love, joy and peace that start the list.

          When I was young, every Thursday evening for several years found me in a garage building outside my church. In the summer, there was no circulation and it was hot. In the winter, there was a kerosene heater up front that was good for the first row. I don’t remember ever sitting on the first row. I do remember that grown men were there and they took it all very seriously, even that kindness thing. Every week, some scout was called on at random to stand and tell of the good deed that he had done that day. You see, that is the Boy Scout motto: “Do a good turn daily.” I grew up learning that being kind is part of being a Boy Scout. Scouting is close to my heart, and I learned to practice kindness.

In Paul’s day, he did not have the luxury of starting with eleven year old boys whose parents had sent them to be mentored. He had to start with us big kids and we are a whole lot more trouble and a whole lot more prejudiced. They were then, too. The book of Galatians was primarily written to a group who had already strayed from the truth that Paul had taught them. One gospel, he said. Salvation by grace through faith, he said. Adopted just as if we were born to it, he said.

          After all the chastising, Paul throws his arms around us and says that we need to be kind, that it is part of all that good fruit that the Spirit brings to us. This is golden rule stuff. Do unto others, remember? It is that divine kindness, that “God is so good to me” kindness out of which God acts toward mankind. It’s the kind of “kindness” that Paul uses to describe God in Ephesians 2 when he talks about God’s love, manifested in his kindness, by sending Jesus to redeem us.

          Kindness. Dr. Theodore Rubin says its more important that wisdom, so important that just the recognition of this fact is indeed the beginning of wisdom. Why is kindness so important? It’s an attribute of God! In Romans 2:4, Paul tells us that God’s kindness is meant to lead us to repentance. In Romans 11:22, comparing fallen Jews to converted Gentiles, Paul says that God is kind to those who believe, to those who continue in his kindness. In Ephesians 2, Paul talks again about grace through faith, about believers being seated in the heavenly places and being shown the “immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Finally, in Titus 3:4, we are reminded that we were saved when “the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared.” Why is kindness so important? It’s an attribute of God!

          Why is kindness so important? It’s an attribute for Christians! “Love is patient and kind,” says Paul in 1 Corinthians 13: 4. In Colossians 3: 12, Paul talks about putting on a new self and this includes kindness.  And there is my personal favorite, Ephesians 4:32:  “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” There that’s golden rule again.

          Remember senior superlatives in high school. Chances are one or you was voted friendliest or smartest or most likely to succeed or prettiest by your senior class. I sort of like the idea, but I would like to change list to most gentle, most humble, most courteous, most kind-things like that. Wouldn’t it be cool to be voted kindest!

I like the Greek word for kindness. It’s a sweet word. In fact, that is one of the shades of its meaning: sweetness. Old wine is called chrestos. Think mellow.  In Matthew 11: 30, Christ’s yoke is called chrestos, meaning that it does not chafe. Chrestos has only one function  according to Dr. William Barclay, the Scottish theologian. It can only help. I think I also like it because it sounds so close to Christos, the Greek word for Christ. When I think of my Savior, kindness is one of the first words that come to mind to describe him. Christos is Chrestos.

Let me share a story with you written by Sherman Buford. Mr. Altar’s fifth-grade class at Lake Elementary School in Oceanside, California, included fourteen boys who had no hair. Only one, however, had no choice in the matter. In an Associated Press story that broke in March, 1994, a youngster named Ian O’Gorman was undergoing chemotherapy for lymphoma and was facing the unpleasant prospect of having his hair fall out in clumps as a result of the treatments. To avoid some embarrassment, he had his head shaved. Then something very nice happened. Something very kind happened. All his classmates shaved their heads as well, so Ian wouldn’t feel out of place. It only took one kid. Ten-year-old Kyle Hanslik started it all. He talked to some of the other boys, and it wasn’t long until all thirteen boys took off to the barbershop together. “We just wanted to make him feel better,” said Kyle. You think?  My wife has an old high school friend named Cindy. Cindy has had several bouts with cancer. The first time she went through chemotherapy, her hair began to come out. The minute it started, her husband Dennis pulled a Kyle and had his head shaved. Cindy is still around years later and I have no doubt that some of the credit has to go to a kind and loving husband whose vanity had no place in that marriage.

Now, this kindness thing can get to be a habit. When you do things for others, it makes you feel good. When I was eleven years old, it was my job as a Boy Scout. I wanted to be ready every Thursday night in case I was called on. Today, it’s sort of a hobby. It’s very contagious. If you haven’t tried it, you should.

By the way, kindness is one of those fruits. You know, the fruit of the Spirit. It is one of the ways to replace that emptiness you sometimes feel coming on.  Just reach out and touch someone, like the phone people say. And remember, there really is only one way to live by the Spirit. Walk by it!  

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness…