Kindness That Intercedes: Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent

"God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life." John 3:16

The readings today highlight two kinds of spiritual blindness: one from turning away to idols (Exodus 32:7-14), and one from refusing to recognize the divine when it is standing in front of you (John 5:31-47). But at the heart of both these texts is the patient and persistent kindness of God.

In the Old Testament Reading, Moses becomes a model of Christ-like mediation. Instead of disowning his people or taking pride in being God’s favored one, Moses identifies with the broken, he pleads for mercy, and is reminded of God’s covenant faithfulness. His prayer is not conditional, it comes from a heart that reflects God’s own desire to heal rather than destroy.

In the New Testament Reading from John, Jesus is saddened by the refusal of people to believe, even after so many signs. His words are not angry but truthful, exposing how pride and hardened thinking can blind us to God’s presence. Even in his confrontation, Jesus is calling people back into relationship.

The God revealed in these readings is not quick to punish but slow to anger, abounding in kindness (Psalm 103:8). That same divine kindness lives in us through Jesus and urges us to love others with a compassion that reaches out and reconciles.

Reflect

There are moments in life when we feel betrayed or let down by someone we care about. We’re hurt and we stand at a crossroads, faced with a choice: Do we confront with our pain? Withdraw? Retaliate? Or do we choose kindness, trusting that there might be more to the story than we see?

I once experienced this very choice. Someone I cared about acted in a way that deeply hurt me and I felt betrayed. When I next saw that person, I had a choice: to share my hurt or to be loving and kind. I chose kindness. I’ll never know exactly what was going on in their heart, but I responded with love and they responded the same way. Something changed in both of us.

We have a choice. And the path of kindness is almost never the wrong one.

Pray

Lord, help me choose kindness even when I’m hurting. Give me a heart that believes the best, forgives the rest, and loves even when it doesn't understand. Teach me to intercede with compassion, as Moses did, and to speak with truth and tenderness, as Jesus did. Amen.