The Virtue of Kindness — How to Be a Gentle Person
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains that kindness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, a divine quality inherent in God Himself, as written in the Holy Bible: “When the kindness of God our Savior appeared.” Through this divine virtue, a person reflects the image of God in dealing with others.
His Holiness teaches that kindness is not weakness or leniency, but a quiet strength born from love, humility, and gentleness. Christ Himself is the perfect example of kindness; in His interactions with the Samaritan woman, the sinful woman, Peter after his denial, and Zacchaeus the tax collector, He showed wondrous gentleness that won hearts without hurting or humiliating anyone. He began with praise and ended with encouragement, lifting souls instead of crushing them.
Kindness means, as His Holiness states, seeing the bright points in others and closing one’s eyes to their faults whenever possible. The kind person encourages, shows compassion, and leads others to repentance with tenderness, not harshness. The harsh person, on the other hand, sees only faults and constantly rebukes.
Pope Shenouda gives many examples from Scripture, such as the father in the parable of the prodigal son who received his sinful child with affection and gentleness without reproach, becoming the reason for his salvation. Likewise, God in His dealings with Abraham, Moses, Jeremiah, and Jonah, accepts questioning and dialogue with patience and love.
He concludes that whoever is not kind cannot live true Christianity, for kindness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and a mark of the children of God who walk in love and peace.
