Unusual Kindness

Abraham charged his oldest servant with finding a wife for his son Isaac. What a huge responsibility! The only recorded criteria for his future daughter-in-law was that she had to come from his country and his kin and be willing to leave her home and follow the servant back to Canaan.

Beauty and other eligibility criteria were not enough to identify the right woman. Abraham's servant prayed for God's help with identifying the right woman by her ability to channel God's kindness. Ordinary kindness would motivate someone to give him a drink but "unusual kindness" would go far beyond this and offer his fleet of 10 camels water too. Such kindness would be a sign that God was kind to him as he sought to fulfil Abraham's request (Genesis 24:12-14). A woman who could be so kind to a servant and stranger would certainly be kind to an heir and husband.

The same is true for unkindness. In the parable of the tenants, Jesus tells of tenants who were unkind to a series of servants sent by the landowner. They went on to kill his son and heir. It did not end well for the tenants (see Mark 12, Matthew 21, Luke 20).

Abraham's servant sought a woman through whom God could show him kindness. In return, he would offer her a marriage that tied her to God's blessing. What if our next blessing depended on the degree to which we allow God to channel His lovingkindness through us? We may not receive the kind of immediate destiny-changing marriage proposal Rebekah did, but unusual kindness will always be noticed by the Father and indicate He can trust us with more. It sets up those connected with us for blessing too.

Why did Abraham's servant choose kindness (steadfast love, lovingkindness, chesed) to help identify a woman worthy of his master's beloved son? Why would this characteristic qualify someone to marry his master's heir and the heir of God's promise to Abraham? Perhaps being Abraham's oldest and most trusted servant, he witnessed and recognised God's kindness toward Abraham. If he could find a woman through whom God could channel His kindness he knew she would satisfy Abraham and be an excellent choice for Isaac.

Consider ways you can show unusual kindness as you Write the Scriptures below:

Genesis 24:14

Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.”

Joshua 2:14

And the men said to her, “Our life for yours even to death! If you do not tell this business of ours, then when the Lord gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.” 

Luke 10:33-34

But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 

Ruth 2:11-12

But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!”

1 Chronicles 19:2

And David said, “I will deal kindly with Hanun the son of Nahash, for his father dealt kindly with me.” So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. And David’s servants came to the land of the Ammonites to Hanun to console him.

Job 6:14

 “He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty"

Acts 28:2

The native people showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold.

All verses are taken from the English Standard Version (ESV) or the English Standard Version Amplified (ESVUK).

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