Confusing Kindness

Recently, I have been noticing in many public spaces, signs and artistic notices that remind us of the need to be kind. It is rightly being taught in our schools and now even on office buildings and businesses. I have always been confused by the human tendency to want to be treated kindly or to use the biblical term “mercifully” and yet to struggle to be kind to others or treat them with mercy. Our culture loves to say “love is love” only to turn around and hate people who embrace a biblical morality that helps people to avoid wrong self-destructive choices and identities. It is almost as if human kindness is arbitrary depending on whether one agrees or approves of another’s decisions or preferences.

As people of faith we have the assurance that God is merciful. The prophet Jeremiah assures himself and us that even in the midst of moments of deep lament, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23, ESV). I am so grateful that believers have this promise of our Lord’s unwavering love expressed in mercy that is never exhausted—it is new every morning.

While we can rejoice in His love for us that is demonstrated in kindness toward us, is God’s show of mercy arbitrary? Some people through life experience and the statement of scripture believe this of God. In a very misunderstood passage of the Bible, Paul states, “So then He (God) has mercy on whoever He wills, and He hardens whomever He wills” (Romans 9:18, ESV). Sadly this statement of scripture is often taken out of context like is so often the case in media news narratives today.

In the context of this statement is the story of the exodus of Israel and Pharaoh’s hardness of heart. Pharaoh hardened his own heart and said no to God 10 times (Exodus 7-9) before God responded by hardening Pharaoh’s heart (Exodus 9:12). God does not arbitrarily show mercy to some while hardening and rejecting others. The question of who God shows mercy to and who He hardens does not have an arbitrary answer. He is longsuffering to all! He longs for all to come to repentance (II Peter 3:9). However, a person rejects His mercy over and over, their heart, no longer responsive to His mercy, will be hardened by God! Since God is just in all His ways, He mercifully hardens that person’s heart so that their accountability before Him as the just judge will not increase all the more. The greater the rejection of God’s mercy the greater the just judgment is for such hardness of heart.

Though God’s mercy is not arbitrary as some believe, let us not be confused by His mercy and harden our hearts against Him when things do not make sense to us! He has mercy on those who trust Him and is longsuffering to those who do not until they reach the point of no return! Let’s not risk becoming one whom He hardens by rejecting Him over and over and hardening our hearts.

“Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on them, and to our God, for He will freely pardon” (Isaiah 55:6-7).