Sure, nice, it’s good to be nice. It is. I can, you can, we all can do that - be nice. Ok. but, what does “nice” do? Is that all there is?
What is it to be nice? Well, nice is good, and kindly, friendly, it’s polite and shares pleasantries. Nice, is a hello, a quick smile, a whimsical moment. And all of that, is well, nice, and in and of itself, fine and good.
But is nice what God is truly after?
Love is kind… (1Cor 13:4 “...patient, love is kind…”)
His kindness is intended, is meant to, lead us to repentance (Romans 2:4 “...the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience…”)
He is kind to the wicked and ungrateful (Luke 6:35; Matt 5:43-48)
God’s kindness expressed to the ungrateful and the wicked is not just a matter of being nice - although that certainly would be a nice thing to do - but doing what He does for His creation, even the rebellious, this is not merely a matter of being nice. To be nice is to at the least, doing something “good”, nice. What nice lacks is depth - being nice leaves us in the shallows - to do something obligatory, to be dutiful, it can even be to patronize.
● Well… that was, nice
● What a nice sunset
● That was a nice speech
● Oh, that’s so nice
Being nice can be effective… it can bring a smile, a sense of humor, a hope that, maybe, there is something, someone that might be good in this world
Kindness on the other hand, to be kind, is to take into consideration. It is to purposely, intentionally, do something for someone for their benefit, for their good, the good of their person and personhood - according to their personal and specific need.
Kindness cannot patronize because it intrinsically dignifies, it esteems, it respects and honors.
Where nice is meant to bring a light and airy moment, to flatter and go on its way - quickly dissipating into the thin air of a busy day
Kindness soaks the soil of the heart, the soul, the spirit, remaining even after its gentle and gracious expression, its intentionally blessing exchange, enriching, perhaps forever, each life, the lives that kindness’s kindness touched.
It’s like the difference between a quick shower that dampens the grass and a good all-night soaker, a steady rain, that gently and fully saturates the land
And, of course, both of these can and should be differentiated from a violent storm’s deluge that pounds the ground, flattens the tender greenery, and comes on with such overwhelming speed, volume and violence, that it just …?... and runs off into the ditch, leaving behind it broken limbs, scattered leaves, battered and bruised finery - while doing little to refresh and rejuvenate - destruction, not construction
So, certainly, really, be nice. But let us not think that nice is all there is. Though it is nice and can be a little effective in at least brightening someone’s day - that is, nice. Please, then, be nice.
Being kind and good? That is something so much more.
It is truly and deeply effective - right down the core of a being - showing that there IS someone, something, good in this world - and that that One who is good, is good them, kind, so much so, that it, our kindness, our good, may actually draw that person right to the author of goodness and kindness - and let kindness do what it meant to do - bring the heart of a person right into the life of God.
James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding, or discerning, among you?
● Wise - learned, cultivated, skilled - action that is governed by piety - or godliness, holiness - and integrity
○ Integrity - meaning
■ Honest and upright, sincere and righteous;whole
■ Wholeness, unified, cohesive; consistent inside and out, top to bottom, expressing externally truly that which one is internally
● Understanding - knowing and experienced --
○ thoroughly knowledgeable from gaining understanding over long-term, personal acquaintance (it is only used in Js 3:13).
○ It emphasizes the understanding that results from building on previous knowledge, which supports the next stage of understanding
He should show his works by good conduct with wisdom’s gentleness - or - meekness
● Show - exhibit, demonstrate, make known; expose to the eyes
○ Give evidence or proof of a thing
○ “I teach”
● Works - or - deeds are done in humility - deeds that express
○ Conduct of a person, measured by the standard of righteousness - or Jesus (in them)
● Good conduct - or - good life - beautiful, as an outward sign of the inward good, noble, honorable character; good, worthy, honorable, noble, and seen to be so.
○ attractively good; good that inspires (motivates) others to embrace what is lovely (beautiful, praiseworthy); i.e. well done so as to be winsome (appealing).
○ beautiful by reason of purity of heart and life, and hence praiseworthy; morally good, noble - or - integrity
● Wisdom - the knowledge and practice of the required for godly and upright living
○ (or, to be able to be described as one who is like an imitator of God (Eph 5:1) Christlike - or - a Christian as the name connotes
● Gentleness - meekness("gentle strength") which expresses power with reserve and gentleness.
○ For the believer, meekness ("gentle-force") begins with the Lord's inspiration and finishes by His direction and empowerment. It is a divinely-balanced virtue that can only operate through faith
This about a life well-lived, lived beautifully, expressing the goodness of God as expressed to us - now, through us.
It is about a life that tempers our speech by cultivating a heart of goodness, gratitude and righteousness - the character, the nature, the manner and way of our good and loving, kind and gracious Father and the very life of Jesus in us by the Holy Spirit, God. (1Peter 3)
As our heart is cultivated in goodness by expressing goodness, we earn the right to speak, to be heard, because we now have shown love and consideration through goodness and kindness. Our words now, match our conduct, and our lives in Jesus, like Jesus, earn for us credibility - as we act and speak with integrity.
And now, the kindness of God, is showering not only on us, but soaking us, making fertile the soil of our hearts, and in so, now, bearing the fruit of the Spirit in all goodness and kindness. (Gal 5:22)
