God doesn't simply do kind things. He is kind!
So, what does it mean that God is kind? God is generous in giving life and breath to people who are undeserving (Romans 2:4). The kindness of God gives things to the undeserving. Blessing those who could not earn it. Giving food, water, shelter, clothing, air, strength, and other things to His enemies. Providing for them so that they would have the time and strength to repent and believe in Jesus, the eternal Son of God (John 3:36).
God is kind. This isn't spoken of often, but it should. What does it mean?
Why do the Wicked Prosper?
Have you ever looked around and thought, "what is going on?" There is so much wickedness in the world and it's not just existing, it seems to be prospering. How can it be? You're not alone in this:
Righteous are you, O LORD,
when I complain to you;
yet I would plead my case before you.
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why do all who are treacherous thrive? (Jeremiah 12:1)
-------
The tents of robbers are at peace,
and those who provoke God are secure,
who bring their god in their hand. (Jeremiah 12:6)
-------
You who are of purer eyes than to see evil
and cannot look at wrong,
why do you idly look at traitors
and remain silent when the wicked swallows up
the man more righteous than he? (Habakkuk 1:13)
------
Why do the wicked live,
reach old age, and grow mighty in power?
Their offspring are established in their presence,
and their descendants before their eyes.
Their houses are safe from fear,
and no rod of God is upon them.
Their bull breeds without fail;
their cow calves and does not miscarry.
They send out their little boys like a flock,
and their children dance.
They sing to the tambourine and the lyre
and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.
They spend their days in prosperity,
and in peace they go down to Sheol.
They say to God, ‘Depart from us!
We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’ (Job 21:7-15)
The question of why do the wicked prosper isn't a new one. Yet, how we answer it is just as important now as it was then. It sickens me and I mourn often over the deeds of wickedness. But I don't mourn as much as God does.
I often pray for God to break my heart over what breaks His. That I would weep over what He weeps over, laugh at what He laughs at, love what He loves, and hate what He hates.
God hates wickedness. Yet, those who do wicked deeds are people created in His image and likeness. They have an eternal soul. And God doesn't delight in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11).
The Kindness of God
God is Sovereign and All-Powerful. God is All-Knowing and Ever-Present. There is nothing that has somehow escaped His notice. He has seen everything and knows everything. Men aren't somehow outsmarting God. They aren't escaping justice. Or succeeding in their rebellion against Him.
God is completely in control. He has the power to crush all of the wicked, just as my finger does with a single helpless wandering ant. But He doesn't. Why? His kindness.
Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and restraint and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? (Romans 2:4, bold added) We are to regard the restraint and patience of the Lord as salvation. Yet, it is God's kindness that leads men, women, and children to repentance. The God who gives and gives. Who stretches out His hands to a rebellious people (Isaiah 65:2). Gives life, breath, and provision to sinful men. If He didn't, no one would be saved. If God destroyed the wicked all would perish in Hell under His disfavorable presence for eternity! For the depths of our sin and despair are greater than what we realize. We can look around and say, well, I'm not this or that. Yet, God declares that the core of every man is wicked, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9) The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5) You may not have killed, or raped, or kidnapped, or stole in your own mind. But I assure you that your heart is wicked and deceitful and you cannot know it. Thus, we must search the Scriptures to see what God says of men, as being evil. It is undeniable. If God were to destroy and get rid of the wicked. He would have to destroy you, me, everyone. None would come to repentance and faith. None would be saved. But God is patient and kind. We are not to abuse God's kindness. But repent. To seek for the living God. To believe in Jesus Christ, His beloved Son, the second Person of the Trinity. To use the breath that God has given us to bless His name rather than curse it. To seek the Lord while He may be found, for tomorrow may be too late. (To discover more about God, see our page, Who is God?)