
Neuroscience of Kindness
*Sunday | February 18, 2024*
Second Samuel 9:1-13 / ESV
ray@crossroadsny.org
What does the Neuroscience of Kindness mean?
The Neuroscience of Kindness is the study of how God has hardwired us with the capacity to be genuinely kind and be healthier because of it.
1. Genuine kindness will be remembered &
Second Samuel 9:1 / ESV, And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
Proverbs 11:17 / NLT, “Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you.”
Proverbs 19:22a / TLB, “Kindness makes a man attractive.”
Proverbs 21:21 / ESV, “Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.”
First Chronicles 19:2 / NIV, “In the course of time, Nahash king of the Ammonites died, and his son succeeded him as king. 2 David thought, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.”
2. Genuine kindness has a
Second Samuel 9:2-3 / ESV, “Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3 And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.”
Philippians 2:3 / CSB, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.”
3. Genuine kindness is best motivated by
Second Samuel 9:7-10;13 And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” 8 And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?” 9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. 10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s grandson shall always eat at my table…13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king’s table. Now he was lame in both his feet.”
Titus 3:4-7 / ESV, “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
My next steps
Read: Second Samuel 9 & Titus 3:4-7
Remember: Proverbs 11:17; 19:22
Reflect: Think of the big picture when it comes to kindness
Return for church next Sunday: 9am, 11am, & 6 pm