Abbey Advent: Kindness Week 3 Day 3

Day 3 - Elizabeth and Zachariah

Text: Read Luke 1:5-25 through the lens of kindness. What do you see?

As I read this I see God’s kindness to Elizabeth and Zachariah in a number of ways.  The most obvious to me is by giving them a son even in their old age, taking away her disgrace of being childless (which could be viewed as a curse or punishment); and not just an ordinary child, but the forerunner of the long-awaited Messiah.

But then there’s a difficult encounter with Zachariah. He is made mute as a result of his lack of faith in believing the angel's (aka. the Lord’s) message. How is there kindness in that?

Romans 11:22 says, “Note then the kindness and severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but kindness to you..”

Can kindness and severity (sometimes translated sternness) go together? Aren’t they oxymorons? Isn’t kindness always gentle and sweet and accepting and permissive? Wouldn’t God have to be bi-polar to be both kind and severe?

I think the answer depends on our definition of kindness. A simplistic, naive, maybe even childish understanding of kindness as “being nice and sweet and agreeable no matter what” leaves no place for sternness. But a more mature definition, a definition that every parent, teacher, or coach understands is that sometimes stern and severe are necessary and appropriate. And that correction is, in fact, a kindness; caring for my well-being over and beyond my feeling good.  Our Father cares for us too much to let us wander in disobedience.

Proverbs 3:12  “for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,

as a father the son in whom he delights.”

So, His severe kindness gets Zachariah’s attention and turns his heart back to obedience and trust - back to relationship with the One who is best for him. 

Kindness.

Reflection

Morning Pause:  As you begin the day, take note of the relationships that God has been kind to give you and thank Him for them.

Afternoon Pause: How has the Father used severity in your life as a kindness?

Evening Pause: As you reflect back on your day, where did you see the kindness and the severity of your loving Father God? End the day with a prayer of confession and of thanks.