Season & Savor: The Leftovers of Kindness

Welcome to Season & Savor Sunday — because feeding our bodies is not enough.

Last week was patience. This week, kindness.

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

I want to start with a reader. Her name is Catherine. After reading a recent Season & Savor post, she sent me a note. With her permission, I’m sharing a shortened, lightly edited version here:

“Every week I drop off bags of food at a busy off-ramp where people take turns asking for help. This morning, driving by on my errands, I saw last night’s two bags still sitting there. Rain was coming, and I didn’t want the food to get wet.

A few blocks away, I stopped and told two men about the bags. The older man thought out loud about how far a walk it was, so I offered him a ride. He looked taken aback, then said, ‘But you won’t bring me back.’ I told him of course I would.

On the drive back, he told me how he ended up where he is. I didn’t ask, and I didn’t judge. I just listened.

Every time I drop off food, people say the same thing: ‘God bless.’ Even in their dire circumstances, God shines through them. One person can make a difference, one bag of food at a time.”

This struck me: “But you won’t bring me back.”

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure & privacy policy.

Notice where she was. Out running errands. Busy. She saw two bags in the rain, and she stopped.

Me? Some days I can’t stop for two seconds.

Here’s how it goes at my house.

This week, Brad asked if I’d text the guy who does our yard cleanup every fall. One text.

I was in the middle of answering reader emails. Warm, kind, patient replies to people I’ve never met.

My lips said, “Sure.”

The rest of me said something else. The clipped tone. The sigh. Eyes glued to my screen. Can’t you see I’m busy?

It took me 30 seconds to make that text, if that.

And Brad? He said, “Thank you so much, honey. That helps me so much.”

Ouch. Double ouch.

I gave him a short fuse. He gave me kindness right back.

I didn’t even notice until I sat down to write this. That’s the thing about these little moments. They’re little, so they slip right by. Lately, though, they’ve been hitting me more and more.

So, yes. I can be kind. Just ask anyone who’s emailed me.

But the man I love with all my heart? Some days he gets the leftovers.

What Paul Means by Kindness

Paul uses the Greek word chrēstotēs for kindness in Galatians (it also means gentleness and goodness). It comes from chrēstós, which means useful or profitable. (You can dig into it yourself in Bible Hub’s Strong’s Greek 5544 entry.)

So this isn’t just being nice. Or sweet. It’s kindness that actually does something. It sees a real need and meets it.

Catherine’s kind of kindness. A ride there, and a ride back.

Or, at my house, a 30-second text. Without the sigh and with eye contact perhaps.

While I was researching this article, I came across something else in Greek scholar Bill Mounce’s online Greek dictionary. The Apostle Paul uses that very same word in his letter to Titus. Only there, he’s not talking about our kindness. He’s talking about God’s kindness.

“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.”
Titus 3:4-5 (NLT)

He didn’t save us because we earned it. Or because we were pleasant about it.

That’s what Brad did with my clipped “sure.” He didn’t wait for me to deserve it. He just said thank you.

I can’t squeeze kindness out of myself by trying harder. Believe me, I’ve tried.

Kindness is fruit. And fruit doesn’t come from a branch straining really hard. It grows when the branch stays connected to the Vine.

Any gardener will tell you there’s more to it, though. Fruit needs to be cultivated. Fed. Watered. Pruned. (I don’t love that last one, but a healthy plant needs it.) And it needs patience, which we talked about last week.

Here’s the good news. Jesus said His Father is the gardener. Pruning and growing are His work. Mine is to stay connected.

So when I miss it, and I will, I don’t need a better plan. I need to go back to the One who was kind to me first.

Then go find Brad and say I’m sorry.

“Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”
Ephesians 4:32 (NLT)

Just as God has forgiven you. I can’t give Brad kindness I haven’t received first.

Your One Interaction

Catherine says the people she helps always tell her, “God bless.” They have almost nothing, and they hand kindness right back.

Brad did the same thing.

So here’s my question for you this week. Who’s your one interaction?

Maybe it’s at an off ramp. Maybe it’s across your own kitchen table, or taking a moment to look someone in the eye.

Lord, thank You for being kind to me when I didn’t deserve it. Thank You for the people You’ve put in my life who show me what Your kindness looks like. Forgive me for the clipped answers and the sighs, especially toward the ones I love most. Grow Your kindness in me, the useful kind, the kind that stops for two seconds. Help me see the people right in front of me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Catherine’s Kindness Bag

• High-protein foods
• Canned fruit and canned meats with pop-top lids
• Bread and pitas
• Cereal, granola and granola bars
• Peanut butter
• Cashews (easier on teeth than harder nuts)

~ With grace at the table, and beyond