I kid you not, I think I’ve seen the words “just be kind” over 10 times today. It’s been a consistent theme, which is nice as a reminder. But why would you need to be reminded that often?

Right now, we have a tough time being kind. Being kind to ourselves, being kind to our families, being kind to our neighbors. Apparently, we need to be reminded to be kind.

I am starting to read the Bible chronologically (again) . I stumbled a lot last year, so, maybe I’ll be more consistent this year. Who knows! I am doing The Bible Recap with Tara Leigh Cobble (a podcast & a reading plan on You Version). We were supposed to be in Job 21-23, but I am behind (go figure) and I read Job 6-9 today.

Backstory of Job

Job lived during the time of Abraham, in Uz (somewhere around the Chaldean people and the Sabean people groups). Job was known as the greatest man in the east during his time. Job has just lost all of his children, his flocks and cattle, and he is stricken with disease.

Someone needs to show this guy some kindness. I mean, really. If anyone deserved it, it was Job. The guy offered sacrifices to God every day for his kid’s unintentional sins. He was blameless, the best boss, the best husband. He technically deserved all accolades.

His friends come to comfort him, they sit with him for a solid week. No talking, just sitting. Job breaks the silence via lament. His friend Eliphaz chimes in, and then Job states his case.

While doing so, he offers this beautiful truth for us.

“He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.”

Job 6:14 ESV

It is not the one withholding the kindness that is forsaking the fear of God. It’s the friend that needs the kindness. To better understand, let’s put this in today’s terms.

The best thing you can do for a friend who has lost hope and lost their confidence in God, is to be kind. Kindness speaks louder than shouting.

Job needed kind people around him. The rest of Job 6 reveals the type of people that were present in his life. Verse 21 is especially sobering.

“For you have now become nothing; you see my calamity and are afraid.”

Job 6:21 ESV

Mind you, his friends just sat in silence with him for an entire week. But in the scheme of things, that was easy kindness. It’s easy kindness to hold your tongue when you’d rather give someone the what for.

This kindness is scary kindness. The kindness that involves risk. This is the kindness that causes missionaries to travel to remote distances to live with a people who are known for killing. This is the kindness that involves no personal gain. This is the kindness that seeks reconciliation when the whole world would say “they deserve much worse”.

This is the kindness that leads to repentance. Would you look at that, the very kindness that God shows us. The ultimate kindness that lived and died in our place.

We have been called to show scary kindness. Brave kindness.

I don’t know, that sounds terrifying to me. I am more like the Job 6:21 people versus a Romans 1:16 people. Which is sobering, sad, and just not good. So this kindness is something to emulate. Something to ask God to create in me, because I won’t get it by myself. As I pray about being this kind of kind, would you pray about it too? That as God gives opportunities to be this kind, that we take them?

Let’s be kind (brave).