‘You’re so kind’ we say. As our dinner guests hand over a box of chocolates. ‘You shouldn’t have. You’re so kind.’

What on earth is kindness? ‘The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace patience, kindness...’ Kindness. It sounds so mild doesn’t it? What does Paul have in mind? To understand it we have to look through the bible and see how God defines kindness. Who knows the story of David and Mephibosheth? You can find it in 2 Samuel.

After years of being chased and persecuted by his enemy King Saul David has become King of Israel. And having become King what is one of David’s first acts? In the ancient near east standard policy was to wipe out all the family of the previous King so that they couldn’t threaten your thone.

But what does David do? He asks a question. ‘Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness?’ ‘Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness?’ Saul his long sworn enemy. Saul his persecutor of years. ‘Is there anyone left of Saul’s house to whom I can show kindness?’ And he finds one of Saul’s servants Ziba and he says to him, "Is there no one still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show God's kindness?" And Ziba says, ‘Well, there is a grandson - a son of Jonathan lame in both feet.’ And David says, ‘Go and get him.’

So this grandson of Saul – Mephibosheth – who was dropped as a baby and unable to walk – is brought before David. And David says, "Don't be afraid,” - ‘Don’t be afraid.’ Well might Mephibosheth be afraid. He belongs to the house and line of Saul to David’s enemies. His grandfather is no longer King. He is penniless. Lame. Helpless. Without protection.

Mephibosheth comes before this new and powerful King in fear. But ‘don’t be afraid’ says David, ‘Don’t be afraid for I will surely show you kindness... I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table." Mephibosheth bows down and says, "Who am I that you should take notice of me? What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?" But David just summons Ziba back and says "Everything that belonged to Saul and his family now belongs to Mephibosheth. You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that he may be provided for. And Mephibosheth will always eat at my table."

David asks ‘Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?’ So Mephibosheth – the grandson of David’s great enemy - ate at David's table all the days of his life - like one of the king's sons.

‘How can I show God’s kindness?’ asks David. And he picks up the helpless, penniless, frightened Mephibosheth and he raises him up to the table of the King and freely lavishes on the man once his enemy food and wealth and blessings.

The Kindness of God – that’s what David calls it. He wants to show God’s kindness. So why does David do this? Well David wasn’t always a King. No in fact he was the youngest and least important son of a humble farming family. Throughout his story David often asks, "Who am I, and what is my family that God should notice me?" But God in His kindness pours blessings on His life and he becomes King. And David’s response? To show God’s kindness to others. To show God’s kindness to Mephibosheth. To shower unearned blessings even on one once counted his enemy.

That’s God’s kindness: taking the helpless and the broken – even those who were counted amongst His enemies – and lifting them out of the dust and showering on them all kinds of gifts and blessings they never earned.

Imagine the scene. It’s 1990. A Belgian city in the middle of the night. Belgian football fans are waving flags and hooting car horns. They’ve won a match in the world cup. But I’m sitting on a pavement. And I’m crying. I’m 19. I’ve grown up in a Christian home. Ever since I can remember I’ve told people that Jesus died on the cross so that they can be forgiven. But tonight. Tonight for the first time - at a Christain conference - I’ve realised that Jesus died on the cross so that I can be forgiven too. There have been a lot of wrong things in my life and I have felt a great big gulf between me and God. But tonight. Tonight I have felt God say ‘All those wrong things – that list that stands against you – I’ll take care of that.’ And I have known that He has taken care of it – all of it – on the cross of Jesus – so that I can be forgiven. But I have felt more than forgiveness – much more. I have felt Him say, ‘you are my child.’ Even to me who has gone my own way for so long; to me who has rejected God and been His enemy – tonight I have felt Him say, ‘you are my child.’

Some words from Ephesians 2.

‘As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world ... gratifying the cravings of ... sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts... by nature deserving of wrath.