When Kindness Fails

12/2/2015

Romans 11.22-23 22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. 23 And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. St. Paul

In Romans 2 this same Apostle wrote: 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? (V.4) So, 9 chapters later it isn’t surprising that he says the above.

Paul’s custom was always to reach out to the Jews first in whatever part of the world he was; they were his heart’s passion and compassion (See Romans 9.1ff). But when the Jews rejected his message he always turned instead to the Gentiles (non-Jews). But Paul wrote predominantly to the people he loved: his own people, the Jews. He told them of God’s immeasurable kindness.

Israel had a lousy track record with God. The infant nation, born in Egypt, was never out of God’s sight but the difficulty of the infant nation was they didn’t recognize God, their Parent. God’s plan and provision were lost on them. And the kindness of God parented, protected, and provided for the infant nation; yet for the most part, all of God’s efforts – His Kindness – were lost on them. Meet Severity.

So, when kindness fails what’s left? The other day the theme of my writing was the wrath of God. We use the word wrath to be some word-picture of spitting fire and damnation in uncontrolled anger; like God loses it. Not so. Well, maybe not so. Wrath is, in my humble estimation, simply the rejection of God. When God rejects someone, there is nothing left but what they have and in this old world, that ain’t much (no matter how much one thinks one has). The recipient of wrath only has himself to defend against God slamming the door, that doesn’t even show up on the microscope. Air has more substance.

When kindness fails all that’s left is severity. Perhaps when considering the severity of God, maybe wrath doesn’t sound so bad (just kidding). Paul wrote that those who don’t believe because they won’t believe are left with the severity of God. When God goes out of His way to be kind and it’s met with disrespect then comes severity. Severity is devastating because severity is wrath, is rejection. Perhaps the story of the Jews is that of severity. Such is the fate of all who spurn God’s kindness. Yikes!

Father, You aren’t to be trifled with no matter how much we want to see You as somehow like us. You are immeasurably kind, but, also inconceivably severe. May I never take Your kindness for granted, nor may I be an enabler of those that spite Your kindness by making up excuses for them. As good and as great as You truly are, Your kindness and severity are inseparable, and equally good and great. Amen.