I believe most men would consider themselves kind.
Very few guys drive around looking for little white bunnies with pink noses to run over. They might be slower to turn from a squirrel in the road, but would wreck the car to keep from hitting a cute little bunny.
All joking aside, it’s easy to see that most men would help someone in distress.
But what if that person was your enemy?
What if the woman needing your assistance was the same one trying to ruin your business?
Would you help the man who was suing you? Would you pull from a burning car the woman who had ruined your career with false accusations?
It takes no forethought to lift an elderly lady who has fallen, but would you hesitate if she had just evicted you from your apartment because of late rent?
In God’s economy there should be no difference.
Remember, because He is God, Jesus is the perfect example of what a “real man” should look like and gives us an example of every Fruit of the Spirit (meaning what you act like when you are following Him) including kindness.
In the book of Matthew chapter five we see Jesus teaching on loving your enemies. He clearly states in verse 44 that we are to “love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.”
Jesus goes on to say in verse 47, “If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.”
If we use these few verses as a framework, we easily see how Jesus showed kindness to everyone and shows us what it looks like to be a “real man.”
Jesus was an illustration for complete kindness when he left the sinless perfection of heaven and the companionship of the Godhead to come to earth.
He lived 33 years toiling as a common man just to offer His life as a sacrifice for all humanity – who rejected and despised Him.
Romans 5:10 states, “For since we were restored to friendship with God by the death of His Son, while we were still enemies, we will certainly be delivered from eternal punishment by His life.”
You and I may think we are well-supplied with kindness. But ours is nothing like what it should be.
We were enemies of Christ because of our sin and rejection of Him. Still He died for us. When we’d earned nothing but death, Jesus showed us what kindness really looks like. His is the example of what we should show – to everyone.
Being kind is more than helping a buddy work on a car. Showing kindness encompasses more than checking in on a senior adult neighbor, although that certainly is part of it. Only when you react to others with kindness – whether the person is a friend or foe – that you are on your way to being a “real man.”
Personally, I am glad Jesus didn’t look at me as an enemy and decide not to sacrifice Himself for me. Because of His kindness – I have eternal life and can live His example for others.
Hey, no one said being a “real man” was easy! It may well be one of the toughest tasks we undertake as men on earth.
But showing true kindness grows us up into the men God has called each of us to be.
James and Cindi Runyon 