Kindness is beautiful! Jesus set a wonderful example of kindness in His life as He walked on this earth. We see story after story in the New Testament that portrays Jesus being kind to others. In John 4, we see Jesus as He interacts with the Samaritan woman. Zacchaeus was a recipient of the kindness of Jesus (Luke 19), as were the lepers in Luke 17:11-19. Ponder the following passages of Scripture as we are reminded how important it is to constantly be reinforcing the principle of kindness with the children in our ministry:

Ephesians 4:32 (ESV). Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

I Corinthians 13:4 (ESV).
Love is patient and kind;

Galatians 5:22 (ESV).
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…

Galatians 6:9 (ESV).
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Proverbs 21:21 (ESV).
Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, righteousness, and honor.

Rarely does a day pass that we don’t observe someone being unkind to another person. The situations are endless, and there is no age restriction. It is especially heart-wrenching to watch children being mean and unkind to other children. So how can we break the cycle and challenge our children to follow Christ’s example?

First of all, we should model kindness in our own lives. Let the above verses speak to your heart, and may the Holy Spirit bring conviction where it is needed. There are dozens of other Scripture texts that we would do well to memorize and meditate upon.

Secondly, initiate conversations about specific examples of kindness and unkindness. What does kindness look like in the school lunchroom, in the hallway at school, in your Sunday School class, at the park, or with a group of friends? Give specific instructions on being Christlike when someone looks different from you, talks differently, or is new to your school, church, or group of friends. Instruct concerning the harm that is inflicted when others are being mean to innocent victims. How is it possible to support and encourage the recipient of the unkind words and actions? Train and talk about the avenues of uplifting others.

What a perfect spot to interject that because of Jesus’ kindness, tolerance, and patience, we have been led to repentance and salvation (Romans 2:4). Remember Christ’s kindness toward us when we are tempted to lash out or be unkind to someone else. Jesus took all the unkindness of the world upon Himself on the cross.

The lesson is threefold—the why, the what, and the wonder. The WHY of kindness is found in the above Scriptures—evidence of love, Christ’s likeness, and the fruit of the Spirit. The WHAT is explained by the infinite number of examples that can be practically applied by using a multitude of teaching strategies. The WONDER is the fact that it is because of Jesus’ abundant and sacrificial kindness for us that we find repentance and grace!

Karen Bishir grew up hearing about Jesus' love and forgiveness from a young age, and when she came to understand the message of salvation through faith in Christ, she embraced God’s grace and forgiveness. Raised in a pastor's home, Karen has continued to live in ministry throughout her adult life alongside her husband, Terry, who has pastored Liberty Baptist Church for 38 years. They are blessed with four married children and 14 grandchildren. Karen is deeply involved in Liberty’s music, women’s, and children’s ministries, and her passion for teaching has led her to serve in homeschool, Christian, and public school settings, as well as within the church. She treasures time with children and their families, and her heart’s desire is to see God working in lives across all generations.