Without the heart, it’s just an act …

What’s the difference between the upper middle class family who occasionally cleans out their pantry of aging canned goods which they donate to help feed the homeless, and the family struggling to barely stay out of the poverty level who opens their home to a homeless person for hot meals, a shower, and a safe place to rest?

One is a kindness, the other a lovingkindness.

That example isn’t to pick on “classes,” but rather to highlight the difference between “kindness” and “lovingkindness.”

You’ve likely seen the bumper sticker encouraging readers to commit “random acts of kindness.” Kindness can be just that, a random act done as a detached task or even from a sense of duty. While others may positively benefit from the kindness offered, the person carrying out the act of kindness is leaving out the most important part of their gift: their heart.

Lovingkindness is the opposite, it’s an act of kindness that first starts as a loving concern for others that finally expresses itself through action. The Bible is replete in referring to God’s lovingkindness toward us. God doesn’t simply perform an occasional act of kindness toward us; rather, out of His love for us He responds with great lovingkindness for us. We read this reference in Daniel 9:4, “I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed and said, ‘Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments …'” (NASB).

Because of His genuine love and constant concern for us, kindness flows from God so that it is more than a random act, more than a task, more than a duty, but lovingkindness expressed from the very heart of God through action that simply doesn’t stop. Psalm 100:5 says, “For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations” (NASB).

What is the source of your kindness: an action to be carried out, or a loving concern that must express itself through action? Is your kindness made up of random acts, or a constant flow from a loving heart?

Scotty