Developing a Taste for Kindness Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: Developing a Taste for Kindness ----------------------- Date: 07/03/1999 Keywords: "kindness” “taste" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. eXXit advertises itself as a Web site designed to help you "stand strong in the face of sexual temptation." In Galatians 5:22-23, the apostle Paul lists nine "fruit of the Spirit," fruit that the Holy Spirit produces in the life of the believer. Each of these fruits — if produced — will greatly aid a believer who seeks to "stand strong." At eXXit, we believe that: The fruit of the Spirit is produced in the life of a healthy Christian, just as apples appear on a healthy apple tree. If there is any love or joy or peace in a Christian, it is ultimately the work of God. Christians can cooperate with the Spirit's desire to produce His fruit in their lives by yieldedness, faith, obedience and involvement in ministry. We hope you enjoy and benefit from these meditations on Galatians 5! Send us any feedback. We'd love to know what you think. Passage: 1 Peter 2:1-3* 1. Therefore, putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2. like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3. if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. Questions 1. To what “kindness of the Lord” is Peter referring? Do you think it is God’s general kindness that He bestows on all people, or the specific kindness of salvation through faith in Christ?   2. The illustration of a nursing infant to that of a believer to the Word of God is helpful. In what ways is a Christian’s relationship to the Word of God similar to that of an infant’s need for milk?   3. Since the believer has “tasted” God’s kindness, he is to put away certain things (verse 1). What are these things? Do you believe they might be representative of other morally problematic areas in a Christian’s life?   Practical help The apostle Peter offers tremendous help in a man’s fight against pornography. Working backwards through the text, victory starts when we taste the kindness of God. There is nothing like an experience of God’s grace and kindness to motivate a man to put away impurities (click here to discover how to experience God’s grace and kindness). In fact, “tasting” God’s kindness results in kindness toward others (eliminating malice, guile, hypocrisy, envy, slander, etc.). If you find yourself struggling with the temptation to view pornography, consider how kind God has been to you. He has bent over backwards to shower you with kindness. He wants you to find your sustenance for life in His Word, not in the continuing practice of deeds that are mean-spirited or unclean. The One who loves you best wants you to be done with the unhealthy diet of porn and feast on His Word for life. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 1999 by eXXit *"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."