Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
Philippians 4:5 NIV
It can be easy to give into the culture while struggling to find your position regarding certain values. God’s word has a response to many of life’s challenges and, where there is apparent silence, we are invited to ask God to lead us in wisdom. This is often where our walk with Christ is most challenged. It can be tempting to choose a stance that agrees with the beliefs of our peers, the people we spend our lives with. Yet, we are called to stand out for Christ’s sake, so that others may recognize and be drawn to Him.
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Colossians 3:12 NLT
A gentle spirit is akin to graciousness and meekness. All these words establish a foundation of humility. Humbling ourselves under God’s hand, trusting that He knows what’s best for all mankind, is what pleases God. It makes our desires less important, putting God’s will in focus.
Don’t be distracted. Easier said than done in a culture built around things constantly competing for our attention. Gentleness requires present focus, less hustle and bustle.
Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.
2 Timothy 2:25 NLT
Remember your place in God’s kingdom and act accordingly. Live a life of truth-seeking and prepare yourself to share this truth with others. It goes without saying that gentleness speaks to the how as much as the what. How we approach and treat others often times determines the kind of response we receive. However, we should be cautious not to be dependent on any expected response to determine whether we’ve done what God would have us to do. We are called to gentleness despite contention from others. We must also be sure to choose a gentle response from a heart of compassion rather than haughtiness. We are no better than those in need of our gentleness. Instead, humility should remind us that we have the same amount of humanity in us that others do. Gentleness takes us outside of our own world and plugs us into the lives of others with a heart of genuine concern. This pleases God.
I hope that this brief exploration of the concept of gentleness has blessed you in some way.
Until next time,
Be well.
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