In a war-torn world of cut-throat competition, demands for personal rights, instant gratification, and ego-centered role models, the quality of brotherly kindness is a rare commodity indeed. To achieve it one must not only subdue his own human desires, but must swim upstream in a society bent on succeeding
by looking out for "number one", and ridiculing anyone who doesn't follow that philosophy. A good indicator of this hellish trait in our society is found in the ever present TV commercial. There was a time when an advertiser never disparaged the products of his competitor. Common decency just didn't allow
it. But now it is the stock in trade of the industry to denigrate the products of those who are competitors, and to extol the virtues of your product by
knocking the opposition. Kindness is absent from all corners of our modern society, and it is not getting any better. Therefore, the Christian, who would
add this characteristic to his nature, needs a lot of preparation to achieve that goal.
After Peter lists "godliness", i.e., the quality of being truly religious, he says with that quality established we would then be able to add "brotherly kindness". This wonderful characteristic does not come naturally to human beings. The young child knows nothing of it, for his acquisitive nature causes him to abuse any of his playmates that threaten to take his toys, or prevent him from doing what he wants. Older children are notorious for being cruel in their criticism of their classmates who may have some flaw in physique or dress. And, of course, adults use their bias and prejudice to discriminate and abuse those who do not fit into their mold. No...brotherly kindness is not a natural human trait.
Each of us lives in a subjective world, dominated by our own standards of right and wrong...our own passions, likes and dislikes. The natural tendencyis to judge all others by these standards, even the people we love, and with whom we share our faith. "Gossip", which targets those who do not live up to our pattern, is a common malady which affects most churches. The demanding question is, "How can we avoid this
judgmental and evil behavior, which comes
so naturally to us?"
That is why Peter places "brotherly kindness" toward the top of his pyramid of Christian virtues. It takes a lot of spiritual preparation to build our character to the place where we do not judge the rest of the world by our own personal standards. Each of us has our own set of weaknesses and flaws. Instead of criticizing you for yours, which are different from mine, Paul urges us to "bear one another's burdens". This is the ultimate "brotherly kindness", not only to refuse to judge you, but to try to understand and help you in your Christian walk, even in spite of the failures I perceive. Paul adds that "everyone must bear his own burdens". By this he means God expects us never to be content with our shortcomings, but to strive to live the Christian life in spite of our load of failure and weakness. If we are "godly", as Peter urges, then we can think as the Father thinks, see others through His eyes, which are eyes of patience and forgiveness, for He views us the same way with our own burdens.
To view our fellowman without resentment, judgment or rejection, even when his behavior is reprehensible and hurtful, one must see him through the loving and forgiving eyes of God. That's the "brotherly kindness" which comes to one who has found "virtue" in his life, but who has tempered his personal concept of virtue with the "knowledge" of the personality of Jesus. With this knowledge firmly in hand, he has learned to control "self" out of the way, and replace it with a "steadfast" determination to be God's man, and make "godliness" his constant goal. Only when this pyramid of Christian characteristics has been made the hallmark of one's character, can he truly get out of his subjective world of personal judgement, and treat all his fellow men with "brotherly kindness".
Next time we will take a good look at the ultimate...love.
