Be kind to those who deserve it. A statement made by a self confessed Satanist that was interviewed a couple of months ago on channel Ten's current affair program "The Project".
It is this thought provoking statement that has stirred up my desire to discuss what the outcome would be if we applied such a philosophy in our lives.
Should people only be kind to those who deserve it?
Where could this statement have stemmed from?
If someone insults us or does us harm, the automatic response is to retaliate. It's as if an immediate defence mechanism triggers within us. It's like it's in our nature to have a tit-for-tat attitude. Being kind to someone that has done us wrong can prove to be a challenging task. But if someone has been kind to us, we are inclined to think that they deserve kindness in return. One good deed deserves another - right? So it becomes much easier to be kind to those that are kind to us.
What does it really mean?
So if we are only being kind to those that deserve it, does it mean that we are unkind to those that we think don't deserve our kindness? Is there any benefit in repaying cruelty for cruelty or insult for insult? When I have retaliated in the past, I found that it only made the situation worse. On the other hand, of what benefit is it to repay kindness to only those that have been kind to me? Of what credit is that to me?
Called to be different
As Christians, we are called to be different. The bible tells us to love our enemies, do good to those who hate us and bless those who curse us. If we only do good to those who are good to us, of what credit is that to us? Sinners also do that, so we should love our enemies and do good to them. Even God is kind to the ungrateful and wicked [Luke 6 verses 27-35].
So would I be accurately reflecting the love of God if I am only kind to those who deserve it? I believe that not. I should be kind to even those that have done me wrong. Not primarily because the others deserve it or not, but to bring glory to God. In a world filled with so much darkness, we are called to be the 'light of the world' - to reflect the love of Christ to others so that God is glorified [Matthew 5 verses 14-16]. We repay cruelty with kindness with the hope that this will bring others to know the love of God.
Furthermore, what good will come out of repaying evil with evil? Again, the bible also teaches us that we shouldn't repay evil with evil, but with blessing, because to this we are called so that we may inherit a blessing [1 Peter 3 verse 9]. Overcome evil with good [Romans 12 verse 21].
God himself has perfectly demonstrated his love and kindness to us through his son Jesus. According to God's word, we all have sinned [done wrong in the eyes of God] and fallen short of the glory of God and the wages of sin is death. We deserved to die and be eternally cut off from God. But by the grace of God, he didn't give us what we deserved [death].
He instead sent His only son Jesus, to die in our place, so we can have eternal life and a relationship with him. Christ died for all, and not just a select few. Would God be a loving God if he had only sent His son to die on the cross for those he thought deserved it?
The challenge for me now is to continually live by the beneficial word of God and not by an antichrist philosophy that will most probably bring me more harm than good.
Kandima Awendila was born in Mozambique and lives and works as an IT Service Desk Engineer on the Gold Coast.
Kandi Awendila's archive of articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/kandima-awendila.html
