Growing in Faith: Brotherly Kindness
Jeremy Northrop
Angry words! O let them never
From the tongue unbridled slip;
May the heart’s best impulse ever
Check them ere they soil the lip.
Often times, Christians gather together and sing this song by Horatio R. Palmer. Of course, the thrust of the song is implicit in that it is better, more beneficial and productive to be kind than it is to practice hatred or malice. In 2Peter 1:5-8, the Bible says, “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The seventh characteristic listed in having a growing faith is brotherly kindness.
One observation which can be learned from the idea of applying brotherly kindness to life is that people are to exercise control over their actions. Many people will speak of their actions like they do not have control over them. They may not agree with this conclusion but they speak as if they do not have control. One might say, “I just worry, that is the way that I am” or “I’m just short-tempered, I can’t help it” or even, “I had to say something, he was just treating me rudely!” The implication of such statements is that it is the external environment that has control over the person’s actions. Usually, a person is trying to justify unkind or even sinful actions by statements like these.
Selfishness is at the heart of the matter. Many people will not be kind because they are selfish. When Paul stood before Agrippa, he encouraged him to do the right thing. Agrippa was almost persuaded but in the end would not do what was right and selfishness was the heart of the problem (Acts 26:24-32). Generally, the heart of the problem is a problem of the heart. Such is often times the case today both within and out of the church. The Christians of the first century had all things in common (Acts 2:44). They showed kindness one to another because of the like faith they were able to have together. Kindness — brotherly kindness — is not only helpful to others but it also is helpful to the person who is being kind. Peter says it is a product of a growing faith.
In the key text, Peter is encouraging the Christian to grow a sound faith by adding to it brotherly kindness. Much research has been done to show that it takes several compliments and kind statements to offset one rude remark. Likewise, it has been proved over and over again that kindness will go much further and be more productive than rudeness. Such principles can be adequately applied to evangelism. Many people have expressed discontent or discomfort with the church based upon what one person may have said in a rude way years before. Some have no doubt proclaimed the truth but have not done so in a kind way and have therefore hurt the church in a severe way.
Unfortunately, some have gone to the opposite extreme and have sacrificed truth in the name of kindness. Some will not condemn anyone for the unbiblical practices in which they are involved. The false doctrine of simply being sincere in the name of religion has stemmed out of such thinking. Paul said speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Truth without love is unsuccessful. Love without truth is not genuine love. Again, the words of Palmer illustrate this point nicely.
Love is much too pure and holy,
Friendship is too sacred far,
For a moment’s reckless folly
Thus to desolate and mar.
In John 18:1-11, one can read the betrayal and arrest of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. One of the events which takes place in that place concerns the apostle Peter. Peter is noted from this text for being a boisterous man. He was somewhat impulsive. He wanted to defend his Lord and make the matter a physical situation. Among the lessons which can be learned from this sequence of events is that a person must think before he or she speaks. Peter impulsively decided to defend Jesus. Jesus had to correct Peter’s errors and heal the ear of the soldier.
Such is often the case when people speak to one another. Some do not think before they speak and therefore do much more harm than good.
Angry words are lightly spoken,
Bitt’rest thoughts are rashly stirred,
Brightest links of life are broken
By a single angry word.
Actions are a symptom of the thoughts and intents of the heart. When one is focused on living like God wants him or her to live, then his or her actions will be kind. The practical solution to discontinued angry words are found at the pen of the apostle Paul, “Let all that you do be done with love” (1Corinthians 16:14). When love is the driving force behind all the Christian does, then hate will cease. When love is at the heart of the matter, then angry words and actions will cease. This is illustrated again by the poet in the chorus of the song quoted throughout this article.
“Love one another,”
Thus saith the Savior;
Children obey the Father’s blest command.
