How can we apply the kindness shown in 2 Chronicles 28:15 today? Setting the Scene 2 Chronicles 28 narrates a border clash between Judah and Israel. After Israel’s army captures thousands of Judean prisoners, the prophet Oded rebukes them for excessive rage. Verse 15 records Israelite leaders responding with tangible mercy rather than vengeance. What They Actually Did “Then the men designated by name took the captives, and from the plunder they clothed all who were naked. They provided them with clothes and sandals, food and drink, and healing balm; and all those who were weak they put on donkeys. So they brought them to their fellow Israelites at Jericho, the City of Palms, and returned to Samaria.” (2 Chronicles 28:15) Key actions: • Clothed the naked • Gave shoes for protection • Offered food and water • Applied healing balm • Transported the weak on donkeys • Reunited captives with families • Abstained from retaliation and went home Timeless Principles • Restore dignity before demanding anything in return (Isaiah 58:7; James 2:15-16). • Mercy triumphs over judgment (Micah 6:8; Matthew 5:7). • Generosity can come from our own “plunder”—whatever resources God already placed in our hands (2 Corinthians 9:8-11). • Kindness is holistic: body, soul, and circumstance (Luke 10:34-35). • True strength is shown by releasing those you could exploit (Romans 12:20-21). Practical Ways to Live This Kindness Today • Clothe and equip – Donate quality clothing and shoes, not leftovers. – Support ministries that provide winter coats, work boots, or school uniforms. • Feed and refresh – Serve hot meals at shelters or create food boxes for single-parent homes. – Keep bottled water and nutritious snacks in your car to share with the homeless. • Apply “healing balm” – Volunteer in hospitals, hospice, or crisis-pregnancy centers, bringing comfort and hope. – Offer counseling, friendship, or simply a listening ear to those wounded by life. • Lift up the weak – Drive elderly neighbors to appointments; pay for rides if you can’t go yourself. – Sponsor mobility aids—wheelchairs, walkers, prosthetics—for people who cannot afford them. • Return people to community – Support reunification efforts for foster children when safe and possible. – Help returning citizens (ex-prisoners) find housing, jobs, and church fellowship. • Restrain retaliation – When wronged, choose forgiveness and constructive dialogue over social-media blasts. – Pray for and bless rivals; “do not repay evil with evil” (1 Peter 3:9). • Use named leadership – The text singles out men “designated by name.” Step up publicly—attach your name, time, and resources to works of mercy so others follow suit. Taking the First Step Begin with one captive-restoring act this week: fill a grocery bag for a food bank, visit a shut-in, forgive an offender. As Ephesians 4:32 urges, “Be kind and tender-hearted to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” The same Lord who honored Israel’s kindness in 2 Chronicles 28:15 will honor yours today. |
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