Episode Extra: What if people aren't kind back?

"That kindness stuff is all well and good," you might say, "but I was kind to [name of person redacted] and [she or he] was just a jerk to me! This kindness stuff just doesn't work at all!" Trust me, I've had the same thing happen to me before. Sometimes it doesn't seem like we are rewarded with the proper gratitude for our kindness. It's especially hard to swallow that kind of treatment when your kindness requires a sacrifice on your part!

But you know, the response of the person receiving your kindness is not the point here. Often when you exercise the Fruit of the Spirit, a change happens in the world around you (someone feels loved, someone benefits from your kind act, your patience results in a better thought-out response to something that helps everybody). But every time you exercise the Fruit of the Spirit, a change happens inside of you. When someone reacts negatively to your positive act, you have a choice. You can either respond in kind and lose the benefit you received from your spiritual action and sacrifice, or you can respond again with the same kindness (or with patience or peace or whatever the situation requires) and keep it, and maybe receive even more benefit. We don't live in the Fruit of the Spirit because we want a benefit, but the benefit is there... if you don't lose it for yourself!

Of course, in life in the Spirit, things always come back to the example of Jesus. Any of us would be hard-pressed to out-kind Him, the man who prayed for his executioners as they were killing Him. Soldiers were basically rolling dice at the base of His cross as He was dying to decide who would get His nice outfit when He was dead, and Jesus said to God, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (You can read it yourself in Luke 23:34.) Jesus had done nothing in his time on Earth but love, heal, feed, and teach people (well, except for corrupt religious leaders, but these soldiers weren't them) and His kindness was rewarded with crucifixion. And yet He responded once again with kindness and forgiveness. If that's not a positive reaction to a negative reaction to a positive act, I don't know what is!


Listen again to the latest episode at WordGoProject.com! For previous episodes, please visit Podcast.WordGoProject.com!

Episode Extra: Those Background Vocals!

Have you been trying to figure out the lyrics of the 50's-style section at the end of "Kindness Walked Among Us"? Me too, and I sang them! I'm kidding, of course, but I realize the background vocals are a little hard to make out. Here's what it's saying, with the BGVs in parenthesis:

Don’t you know what God’s kindness is for? (It leads us!)
Just as God’s kindness led them before (from Egypt!)
He wants you to be able to be in (His presence!)
The kindness of God will lead you to be in (repentance!)

Romans 2:4 (ESV): "Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?" Let God's kindness lead you into His presence through repentance today! Check out this song and more at WordGoProject.com – for previous episodes, visit Podcast.WordGoProject.com!

Episode Extra: Divorce is not Kindness

One sentence in Episode 5 bothers me a little bit:

When Joseph found out his fiancee Mary was already pregnant before they were married, by the law he had a right to have her stoned to death, but he chose the way of kindness, expressed by giving her mercy: “And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.”

The reason it bothers me is because I'm worried someone will think it means that in their situation getting a divorce would be a kindness. Certainly it was in this circumstance, but the reason it was in this situation is because the other option would be to stone Mary to death for infidelity. Joseph's kindness was that he was willing to put his own reputation on the line and let her live.

In most societies these days, there is no death penalty for infidelity. And indeed, the Bible makes it clear that divorce is really not a good first option, even in the case of adultery. Jesus said on several occasions, "...everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery." The apostle Paul wrote, "To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife."

That said, the Scripture does allow for divorces. My belief is that divorce should be a final option to end physical or mental abuse by one partner who refuses to stop. That said, the Bible uses marriage as a symbol of the relationship between Christ and the Church, so if both partners are fully willing to reconcile, it can become a beautiful picture of how loved each of us is by our Father God.

Divorce is not a kindness. Divorce rarely does more harm than good. If you feel yourself seriously considering that as an option, spend some time in prayer first, and please get some good solid counseling from a qualified Christian marriage counselor before you go that route.


For references to the Scriptures quoted above and for more Scriptures about Divorce and some great ones about Marriage too, visit our sister site, ScriptureMenu.com.

Episode Extra: Kindness Christmas Message

One Sunday last December, the student pastor at my church delivered the message in the adult service. The message was about Kindness! After the service I found her and said, "Did you know that I'm doing a podcast about the Fruit of the Spirit, and Kindness is coming up really soon?" I told her not to be surprised if she listened to the finished product and recognized some of it from her message! Watch her message below, and then see if you can find parts that I "borrowed" in the latest episode of The Word Go Project, "Kindness"!



You can find the latest episode of The Word Go Project at https://www.WordGoProject.com, or listen to it along with all of the previous episodes at https://podcast.WordGoProject.com!

Episode Extra: Love Causes Joy

Sometimes for the sake of brevity we have to skim over details when we write the Word Go Project episodes. We think this blog is a great place to elaborate a bit when there wasn't time to do it there!

In the Bible study (and in the song) we mentioned this statement that Jesus made:

"These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." (John 15:11 ESV)

When I listen to the episode, I immediately think, "WHAT things, Jesus? What were you talking about?" Let's backtrack a few verses and see what "These things" are.

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit." (John 15:1-2 ESV)

Well, THAT doesn't sound very joyful. Actually, that sounds a little bit ominous! I certainly don't want to be the branch that gets thrown away, and being "pruned" to bear more fruit seems like an unpleasant experience, too. What did He say next?

"Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:3-5 ESV)

Okay, so what Jesus was saying was that He is the source, and we need to live our lives connected to Him. It sounds like the pruning thing was not necessary because His disciples had heard Jesus' words and let themselves be cleansed by them. Cool!

"If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." (John 15:6-7 ESV)

Wait, WHAAAT? "Whatever"? Like, anything at all? Well, actually, I think maybe you can ask whatever you wish because if you are "abiding in Jesus", so close that you think like Him, the things you ask Him for are going to be things He desires to provide anyway. This is great stuff!

"By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." (John 15:8-11 ESV)

And there we are, back to our joy being full. So, our joy is full because we have connected ourselves to Jesus, which allows us to bear lots of fruit for Him. It's also because when we are connected to Jesus, we are directly connected to, and living within, His love. What is the main thing that causes your joy to be full?

God's love!