We are living today in times when many people are not very kind to one another.  Few men open doors for ladies when entering a building as they once did.  If you are driving on the freeway and about to miss your exit, not many drivers will let you over upon seeing your signal light.  Disrespect for our President, and other leaders is at an all time high.  In the minds of many,  people are not going to help you unless you help them first.  The world just seems so unkind these days.   

In the above passage of Scripture, David shows true kindness to Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan. David and Jonathan had been close friends before Jonathan was killed.  The death of Saul, Mephibosheth's grandfather, and Jonathan, left Mehibosheth in dire straits.  He had been dropped as a child and lived in a crippled state.  Because his grandfather Saul tried to have David killed at one time, it would have been totally appropriate during those days for David to have Mephibosheth killed.  But David did just the opposite.  He showed Mephibosheth great "kindness."  

 

David's "kindness" reminds me of the "kindness" that God has toward us.  Have you ever been dropped by someone?  They turned their back on you at a crucial time?  Have you had to be carried during a period of your life? Perhaps God carried you when no one else would.  Do you sometimes walk with a limp because of a fall from grace?  God's kindness often covers your brokenness.  Can you be kind to others who are not kind to you?  And can you be kind to someone who will never know that it was your kindness that helped them along the way?

 

David told Mephibosheth that he would be kind to him because of the relationship that David and Jonathon had.  We should be kind to one another because God has been kind to us.  No matter how unkind others may be, Believers should be kind, in an unkind world.