When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, He punished them. Their punishment came in the forms of 1) the death penalty (Gen 2:17), 2) shame (Gen 2:25; 3:7), and 3) fear (Gen 3:10). But God also showed them kindness when he made clothes for them, covering up the source of their shame (Gen 3:21).
When Cain killed his brother, Abel, God punished him by consigning him to a life of restless wandering (Gen 4:12). But God also showed kindness when he marked Cain to protect him from his fear of being killed (Gen 4:15).
There have been times in my life when God has given it to me with both barrels and I had it coming. He has never let me off the hook for disobeying Him but He has also shown me unmerited mercy and grace. His discipline has never been as severe as it could have been and His kindness has always been far greater than I deserve.
In Luke 6:35 Jesus says "[God] is kind to the ungrateful and wicked." Even us when we least deserve it!
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