Abraham: Our Patriarch of Loving-KindnessNäide

In the Likeness of God

One of the first things we learn about Abraham is that God spoke to him, an experience reserved for very few.

But Abraham was a unique person. He believed in one God and that all creation emanated from the same source. This led him to embrace the characteristic that he became most known for in the Jewish tradition—the characteristic of chesed, loving-kindness.

Believing that everything and everyone came from one God led Abraham to understand that all people were connected and should live in harmony with each other. Abraham embraced the truth expressed in Genesis 1:27, “So God created mankind in his own image,” which is repeated in Genesis 5:1, and reaffirmed for Christians in Colossians 3:9-10.

We see this fundamental belief acted upon repeatedly throughout Abraham’s life.

When Abraham and his nephew’s flocks and herds grew too big for both to sustain, Abraham gave Lot first choice of the land (Genesis 13:8-9).

When God told Abraham of his plan to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham interceded on the behalf of any righteous living in those wicked cities (Genesis 18).

We see Abraham’s kindness and fairness in his dealings even with those outside his family (see Genesis 14:17-24; 21:22-34; 23:3-16).

Abraham’s belief that each person was indwelt with the holiness of God was in stark contrast to the values of his society. Since the people believed in many gods, they saw themselves as distinct and separate from each other. There was no commonality that they shared with each other. According to this worldview, if the gods fought each other then surely it made sense for their followers to do likewise.

For Abraham, loving others was a form of loving God and a reflection of the God he obeyed and trusted. Showing loving-kindness to others was not only a service to God, but also a way of sharing the truth about God with others. Abraham believed that spreading loving-kindness could change the trajectory of the world. And indeed, it did.