The Kindness of God

Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

Romans 2:4

This verse was quoted yesterday during the video I watched with my Precepts class - after we discussed Ezekiel 8-11. We had just been reviewing how the glory of the LORD left Jerusalem in preparation for the coming judgement. How God had given Ezekiel a vision of executioners going through the city, striking down all who had not been marked as "men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which [were] being committed in its midst." (Ezekiel 9:4-5) We had noted the multiple times God declared there would be no pity for those in Jerusalem who had practiced these abominations.
And I found myself thinking, Kindness? What???
How is it kindness to tell a people, "Now the end is upon you, and I will send My anger against you; I will judge you according to your ways and bring all your abominations upon you."? (Ezekiel 7:3)
What kindness is there in proclaiming impending doom and destruction on a people, such as is written in Jeremiah 5:14-17?
That is to say, we had just participated in an excellent discussion of God's warnings which He gave to His people regarding their sin - and the call which was given to them (and largely ignored) to turn from their wickedness. I could readily see describing His actions as just. Befitting. Deserved, even.
But kind?
I wasn't so sure about kindness.
Until the Holy Spirit reminded me, God's intention is always restoration. Though He threatened His people with judgement, His desire was that they repent and return to Himself. In spite of disasterous prophecies, God's longing was for renewal. He didn't want to send calamity.
He wanted His people back!
Thus - out of kindness - God spoke harsh realities, that His people might repent of their wickedness and return to their God.
That understanding showed me clearly, it is the kindness of God which leads us to repentance.
When we have been thoughtless with our words and injured someone's heart, when our actions are self-centered and we neglect the needs of another, when we put our desires ahead of God's plans and find ourselves convicted, sorrowful, and even regretting what we have said and done - that is the kindness of God, leading us to repentance.
May we always have soft hearts which are ready to respond to His kindness.