The Milk of Human Kindness
Defining kindness often means using a whole host of other qualities. Kindness is being generous, thoughtful, gentle, caring. Kindness can have a significant impact on another person, even if we’re never aware of it.
In today’s chapter, Sinclair explores the story of one of the most significant men in the history of the Christian church: Augustine of Hippo. Born to a Christian mother, who prayed every day for his salvation, Augustine was a brilliant man and a gifted speaker. He was determined to find fame on his own terms, but after meeting Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, his life was changed forever. Looking back over his life many years later, Augustine wrote:
That man of God received me like a father; when I came he showed me the kindness of a bishop. From that point I found myself beginning to love him. But at first it was not because he was a teacher of the truth—I had no expectation I would find that in [the] Church! It was because he was kind to me.
Though Ambrose’s words were impressive and his explanation of the gospel was clear, what really started Augustine on his journey to Christ was Ambrose’s kindness.
Sinclair writes, “You probably don’t have the gifts of an Ambrose. And perhaps you would find meeting someone as intellectually gifted as Augustine a little intimidating. Few of us feel we have the brain power to persuade somebody like that to become a Christian. But it isn’t brain power that draws people to Christ. That isn’t what first drew Augustine to Christ. It was kindness. And that—Augustine eventually discovered—is just another way of saying that Ambrose was like Jesus—because Jesus is kind. Love always is.”
In another of his letters, Paul describes Jesus’ incarnation as “when the … loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared” (Titus 3:4). Jesus was kind to everyone he met, no matter their background, nationality, financial status or age. And he has been kind to us too: taking on our nature, dying in our place, meeting us in our sin and need. His kindness is intended “to lead [us] to repentance”, just as it did for Augustine. We are now called to share that loving kindness with the people around us every day.
Today, reflect on the ways in which you have received God’s loving kindness. How could you seek to show others the loving kindness of Jesus? Thank God for his kindness to you, and pray for opportunities to pass it on.
Love Came Down at Christmas by Sinclair B. Ferguson (published by The Good Book Company) available to buy at Eden Christian Bookstore or Amazon.