Milk Of Human Kindness

Jesus said to his disciples: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. 

Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. 

Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. 

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.” (John 15:1-8)

John isn’t very understanding, or at least forgiving.  So it seems from the words he puts in Jesus’ mouth.  Follow Jesus and believe in him, then everything will be hunky-dory.  Do otherwise and we will wither to be gathered by people (we assume his followers) and burned in a fire!  Good grief!  Where’s the love, tolerance and forgiveness?  It all sounds so much like today’ political partisanship and vitriol.  Each side seems to have a fire going that it stokes with animosity.

It’s May, and the flowers are blooming; vine branches are growing, and some will bear fruit.  As Jesus’ branches we are to bear fruit and while we’re at it, provide a little milk of human kindness.  This “milk” is compassion and sympathy.  The expression originated by Shakespeare who had Lady Macbeth complain that her husband “is too full of the milk of human kindness” to kill his rivals.

Considering our ongoing coronavirus infections and deaths, I provide a web definition of human kindness quite appropriate for CTK parishioners who continue to generously donate to the Matthew 25 Fund:  “Human kindness is an unexpected act of humanity or kindness that we don't hear about every day. It can be profound feats of heroism. It can be small, refreshing gestures of generosity. But above all, it demonstrates the thoughtfulness of one human being toward another. It feeds (and potentially heals) the human spirit.”

So, we humans, let's be kind and deliver the milk.

Deacon David Pierce