October 5, 2026

To have a Friend, Be a Friend

The next two Fruits of the Spirit are kindness and goodness.  They seem very alike.  I decided to look at their definitions.  Kindness means ‘the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate’  Goodness means ‘the quality of being morally good or virtuous.’  Safe to say, they still sound similar.    

When we meet people in our community, most of us are friendly and outgoing.  There are so many unwritten rules in social interaction.  We meet the kindness and goodness bar quickly.  It’s when those expectations get challenged we can run into trouble.  Have you ever been in a bank or grocery store and witnessed someone behaving outside the civility rulebook?  People become wary and confused when tempers flare.  When customers (or employees) become abusive it makes everyone uncomfortable. 

There are people who like to stir the pot and cause discomfort. Right now, it’s socially acceptable to be contentious. Young people are especially vocal.  They might even be considered demanding when it comes to political arguments, social situations, and cultural dilemmas.  My generation was taught to stay quiet if we couldn’t find something nice to say.  In today’s culture, there is a philosophy that even someone’s thoughts can cause discomfort or pain.  In America, the nation built on freedom of speech and many other freedoms, that is a hard sell.  ‘Sticks and stones can break our bones, but words can never hurt me.’ 

And this is when the Fruits of the Spirit come into play.  We need them all.  Of course.  But kindness and goodness keep us civil.  They bind us as citizens with a commonality that thrives on smiles, courtesy and civil behavior.  When we go out our door every morning let’s try to make everyone’s day a little easier.

Dear Father, Help me remember everyone faces a bad day occasionally.  Help me make an effort to bring patience and support to every situation.  Love involves sincere concern for others.  Joy helps everyone make their way through bad days, and patience is like balmy spring air.  I long to bring camaraderie to every situation and I pray my tranquility and peace will have people asking where I find my source of joy.  At that moment, Lord, I can tell them about you.

Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?  Romans 2:4