Everybody appreciates kindness. Everybody likes to be treated with kindness and respect, to be acknowledged when we arrive and to be appreciated for what we do. We also want to be cared for in times of sadness, like the death of a father.
In our Bible readings today, we will hear of an act of great kindness being dismissed as an act of war. This decision and the actions that follow turn kindness into war, when nothing of the sort was required.
In the middle of all this cowardice is a comment of great assurance for all who belong to the king –
“Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The LORD will do what is good in his sight.” 2 Samuel 10:12
With such confidence in the Lord, we can be strong. With such faith that God is at work, we can stand firm. And with such faith, and with such a king as Jesus, we can be kind.