By Lisa Wilmore
Scripture: “So David said to him, ‘Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually'” (2 Samuel 9:7 NKJV).
It was a renowned actress who stood among her peers and expressed her distaste and disappointment toward a leader who mocked and mimicked a reporter with special needs. In her speech, she shared the convicting truth that “disrespect invites disrespect” and “violence invites violence.” She also asserted that “when people in positions of influence bully others, we all lose.” To this point, in the biographical film about baseball legend Jackie Robinson, who is portrayed by actor Chadwick Boseman, there is a scene in which a father hurls negative names and comments at Robinson. As a result, his young son hears him and begins to mimic what his father says. If negativity can produce such responses, what about kindness? If disrespect invites disrespect, do you think that “kindness will invite kindness”?
Although there are biblical accounts that reveal how kindness shown by one-person yielded kindness in return, there is one that I would like to mention in this message. It is the kindness that David showed to Mephibosheth, the son of his dear friend Jonathan (2 Samuel 9).
There were reasons David showed kindness to Mephibosheth, but primarily it was because of the vow he had made to Jonathan that he would always show kindness to his descendants (1 Samuel 20). As a result, Jonathan’s son was able to eat at the king’s table for the rest of his life. David showed him kindness because of the kindness that had been shown to him through his friend Jonathan. “Kindness will invite kindness.”
Interestingly, during a recent outing, our waitress was new. There were several of us placing orders, and she was patient with us and kind to us. When she brought the bill, we paid it, but instead of simply leaving the calculated tip amount, we collected a tip for her that far exceeded what was suggested. Of course, she was awestruck, and it appeared as though she was on the verge of tears. She explained that it was her first time serving such a large group. So, I hugged her and said, “God is good.” Undoubtedly, she was not expecting the kindness shown to her, but all we did was respond to her kindness with kindness of our own.
As we journey through life, we learn that “disrespect invites disrespect,” but “kindness invites kindness.” As Christians, we are called to be kindhearted toward one another, as Scripture says: “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32, NKJV). By showing compassion, grace, and generosity, we inspire others to do the same.Jesus Saves!
