2026-03-06
Good morning, Dear Ones,
There are two definitions that will clarify what the Holy Spirit has commanded me to write this week: Kindness and Hypocrisy. Kindness is genuine care, compassion, generosity, being supportive, empathetic, sympathetic, and understanding without expecting reward. It also means treating yourself with the same care. Hypocrisy is the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform, pretense. It is pretending to be righteous while harboring sinful motivations, acting as an “actor” or “mask-wearer.” The hypocrite is trying to deceive others, failing to practice what he preaches. The Greek words for “mask-wearer” is hypokrites and for kindness is chestotes or goodness of the heart.
The essence of kindness is shown by our Lord Jesus when He healed a man who had been so crippled all his life that it was necessary for his friends to lift him, carefully lower him through a hole in the ceiling, and place him where Jesus could see him. Jesus had been healing people even on the Sabbath. The Pharisees in the crowd questioned the Lord’s right to do this on such a day. Jesus said, “Pick up your mat and walk,” in JN 5: 11. Later in the temple, He said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you. [JN 5: 14]. Those words may sound harsh, but the Lord was doing him a favor. In His own defense, Jesus told the others, “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I too am working” [JN 5: 17]. Furthermore, He adds, “Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father Who sent Him. Very truly I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him Who sent Me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live” [JN 5: 22-25]. Remarkably, our Lord clarifies a question for all who believe in Him, in JN 5: 28-30, “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. By myself I can do nothing, I judge only as I hear, and My judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but Him Who sent Me.”
Further Biblical proof of the fairness and wisdom of Christ’s judgment is found in PR 21: 12, “The Righteous One takes note of the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin.” It is seen also in IS 3: 11, “Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them! They will be paid back for what their hands have done.” Patience is required in the course of this fair judgment, as it is on God’s time and not ours. As for the Lord Jesus, He has been given the right to judge by God Himself [DN 7: 13-14]. Our Lord can turn things around with some people who got a bad start. This is seen in 1 TIM 1: 13-14, “Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”
A part of our Lord’s work is discipline, a subject taken up in HE 12: 4-13. While it’s painful to be disciplined, our hardships are acts of discipline out of the love the Lord has for us. Our human parents disciplined us as they reared us. HE 12: 9b asserts, “How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!” [Verses 11, 13], No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it’…’Make level paths for your feet,’ so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.”
PRAYER: O Lord, we come to You for understanding and wisdom in the matters of kindness and hypocrisy. You alone have set the standard for our righteous vs. unrighteous behavior. There are many reasons why people are hypocrites and must learn to put off this kind of sinning. They are greedy, eager for status among other people, and willing to act unjustly toward their fellow man. We will all be required to give account of our lives before the Lord, and recognition of this truth can cause some people to turn their lives around. Those who refuse to do this, rejecting the Lord, will suffer the consequences of their behavior habits. The remaining people will go before the Lord with freedom and confidence [EPH3: 12]. We ask You to help us see You at the appointed time and be forgiven, possible only through the sacrifice of Your Son on the cross [JN 3: 16]. Even those who are martyred and appear under Your throne in heaven, will be avenged, deemed righteous and receive their just rewards [REV 6: 9-11]. We are forever grateful for the kindness You have toward us, borne out of unparalleled love. Praise, honor, and thanksgiving be to You, in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: The Holy Spirit tells me there is more to write about kindness and hypocrisy, so they will continue next week. Obviously, the Lord’s forgiveness for our sins is a key component of His will for us. It’s the reason kindness is considered one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit [GA 5: 22]. We mustn’t ignore PS 82: 3-4, “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.” Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” Praise and thanksgiving to Him for His wisdom, love, and kindness!
Grace Be with You Always,
Lynn, JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2026. All Rights Reserved.
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