Kindness and Tender-Heartedness
Christians are called to treat others with gentle, caring kindness reflecting God's nature.
Paul exhorts, 'Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.' Kindness is the fruit of the Spirit—evidence of divine nature at work within. Tender-heartedness means being emotionally accessible, not hardened or calloused. This kindness extends to all, not just the lovable. Small acts of kindness have ripple effects far beyond their immediate context. The word for tender-hearted, eusplanchnos, is built on the same gut-root as Christ's own compassion. Paul asks for a reflex, not politeness.
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
C.S. Lewis observed that 'kindness is the real essence of Christianity' when practiced consistently toward all.
Epistle to the Ephesians
Written about in
- What Christianity says about forgiveness
Paul's word for tender-hearted, eusplanchnos, is built on the same gut-root used of Christ's own compassion. He is asking for a reflex, not a policy. The standard he sets is manner as well as fact: forgive "just as in Christ God forgave you."