Showered With Kindness

“‘Do not kill them,’ he answered. ‘Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.’ So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.” - 2 Kings 6:22-23


Over the last few days, we have discussed the story found in 2 Kings 6 of a time when Elisha was surrounded by those who came to kill him. He was in his own home, and when he awoke, the enemy was there surrounding him. But Elisha was not worried. Though his servant came to him panicking, Elisha told him not to worry because he knew God was protecting him.

And though Elisha could have had these men killed, considering they wanted to kill him, he had a different solution. Elisha showered them with kindness. In 2 Kings 6:21, the king asked Elisha if he should kill them, to which Elisha responded,  “‘Do not kill them,’ he answered. ‘Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.’”

Not only does Elisha suggest not killing them, the next verse says he prepared a feast for them! 2 Kings 6:23 says, “So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.”

Elisha did not choose to take an eye for an eye. He did not say, “if that is what they were going to do to me, I will do the same to them.” He chose the road of kindness. In today’s society, this is certainly not the popular choice to make. But it is the right choice. The next time someone wrongs you, will you give them what they deserve or will you do what Jesus did, what Elisha did, and shower them with kindness?