Category: Virtue of Gentleness

Gentle Discipline

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Gentle-Way

What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness (meekness)?  – I Corinthians 4:21 ESV (Other Translations)

 I, Paul, myself entreat (urge, beseech, appeal to) you, by the meekness (humility) and gentleness of Christ.  – II Corinthians 10:1a ESV (Other Translations)

Paul is weary of Corinthians, who are like wayward children, and yet he wants to treat them with gentleness.  He doesn’t want to come with a rod, but with gentle love.  Notice he doesn’t demand, command, or threaten.  But clothed with the gentleness of Christ, he entreats, he urges, he beseechs, he appeals to them. His discipline is gentle.

Sometimes a rod is required.  In righteous anger, Jesus chased all buyers and sellers in temple out with a whip.   But, usually, we aren’t very good at righteous anger.  I used to think that anger was part of discipline.  But usually that anger was about me being inconvenienced and having to deal with a situation – nothing righteous about it.  And discipline can be done without anger.  Even using a rod can and should be done with a gentle loving spirit.

So what does your discipline look like?

Is your default setting to be gentle?

Or to be angry and harsh and violent?

How do you need to change?

Gentle Marriage

On By BrianIn Virtue of Gentleness

Gentle-Way

[Wives:] But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle (meek) and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. – I Peter 3:4 ESV (Other Translations)

 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding (considerate) way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. – I Peter 3:7 ESV (Other Translations)

 Wives are to have a gentle and quiet spirit that comes out in their words and actions.  But husbands too must be gentle if they are to be considerate of their wives and honor them.  In whatever way women are the weaker vessel, it requires husbands then to be gentle with them.

And husbands and wives, like all people, can be weak and bruised and weary from the trials and struggles of this world.  And so they need to be gentle with each other.

This is the great test of gentleness.  It is easy to put on show in public, but what are we like at home?  Are we gentle with each other, or are we harsh, brawling, loud, or manipulative?

Every marriage would improve greatly if gentleness ruled in our homes.  God calls us to grow in gentleness.

If you are married, are you gentle with your spouse?

Does gentleness rule in your home?

How might you need to be more gentle toward your spouse this week?

Gentle Words

On By BrianIn Virtue of Gentleness

Gentle-Way

A soft (gentle) answer turns away wrath (anger), but a harsh (grievous) word stirs up anger (wrath).  – Proverbs 15:1 ESV (Other Translations)

A gentle (soothing, wholesome, healing) tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness (devious) in it breaks the spirit. – Proverb 15:4 ESV (Other Translations)

We see here the power of words.  Gentle words can diffuse an angry conflict and bring healing and life to the hurting.  Harsh words can stir up conflict and break the spirit of the bruised and battered. God calls us to turn from harsh words and grow in gentleness.

Do your words tend to be gentle or harsh?

What situations tend to stir up harsh words from you?

Ask God to help your words become more gentle.

A Gentle Life

On By BrianIn Virtue of Gentleness

Gentle-Way

To speak evil of (malign, slander) no one, to avoid quarreling (brawling, be peaceable), to be gentle (considerate, kind), and to show perfect courtesy (meekness, consideration, gentleness) toward all people.
– Titus 3:2 ESV (Other Translations)

 The word “gentle” is also translated “considerate” or “kind.”  A gentle person considers the needs and feelings of others.  A gentle person, in consideration of the other person, is then kind towards them instead of mean.

Other characteristics in the verse all relate to gentleness too.  A gentle person doesn’t attack others with her words.  She doesn’t speak evil of people, slandering and maligning them.  She doesn’t fight with others, quarreling or brawling.  A gentle person is courteous, considerate, and polite towards others.

Are you gentle like this with others in your speech and actions?

At work? At school?  Driving in your car?  On Facebook?

How well does this verse describe your life?

The Spirit’s Fruit

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GentlenessOfGod

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness (meekness), self-control. – Galatians 5:22-23a ESV (KJV)

If the these nine qualities are fruit of Spirit, then Spirit must possess these nine qualities, including gentleness.  The Spirit is gentle, like the Father and the Son.

And the gentle Spirit works in our lives to make us a gentle people in the image of our Triune God.  The gentle Spirit works in our lives to make us gentle in situations where we otherwise couldn’t on our own.  The Spirit works to replace our tendency towards harshness, loudness, and quarrelsomeness with a Spirit-led gentleness.

Where in your life do you need to see the Spirit work the fruit of gentleness?

In what ways are you opposing the Spirit’s work of gentleness in your life?

How do you need to better cooperate with the Spirit’s work of gentleness?

The Savior’s Example, Part 2

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He will not quarrel (strive, argue) or cry aloud (shout), nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised (battered) reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench. – Matthew 12:19-20a ESV (NKJV/CSB/others)

These words are a prophecy from Isaiah 42 that Jesus quotes in reference to himself.  They show a contrast to gentleness, what gentleness is not.

Jesus does not quarrel (strive, argue, fight, brawl).  He does not cry aloud (shout, yell, rant, scream).  In other words, he is not a loud-mouth.  All of this is the opposite of gentleness.  When we are yelling or loud or quarreling with people, we are not being gentle.

But Jesus was gentle with people, and we are given two great pictures of his gentleness.  First, a bruised or battered reed is easily broken, but Jesus is so gentle he doesn’t break it.  Second, a smoldering wick is ready to go out, but Jesus carefully blows it back to life.

These pictures are about people. Jesus reached out to bruised, battered, and smoldering people with a gentle love that healed, restored, and revived.  This gentle love gave new life to the hurting, weeping, sick, and oppressed.  This gentle love gave forgiveness to the sinner.

More often than we think, the people around us are bruised, battered, smoldering, weary, tired, and fragile.  We need to follow Jesus’ example and treat one another carefully, with great gentleness that builds up and gives life.

In what situations in your life do you need to rest in the gentle love of your Savior?

In what situations are you tempted to quarrel or yell?

In what specific ways can you treat others carefully this week to build up and give life?

The Savior’s Example

On By BrianIn Virtue of Gentleness

GentlenessOfGod

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle (meek) and lowly (humble) in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
– Matthew 11:29 ESV (KJV/NASB)

Jesus tells us that he is not a harsh taskmaster.  He is not a demanding tyrant.  Rather he is gentle and lowly, providing our souls with rest.

If you think him a harsh taskmaster, then that is how you will treat others.  But if we grasp that Jesus is gentle towards us – if we rest in his gentle heart, then we can learn from him and share his gentleness with those around us.

Do you think of Jesus as a harsh taskmaster or as a gentle rest-giver?

In what current situation do you need to come to Jesus to find rest for your soul?

In what relationship in your life do you need to share the gentleness of Jesus?

The Shepherd’s Care

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GentlenessOfGod

He will tend (feed) his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
– Isaiah 40:11 ESV (KJV)

 Isaiah gives us the picture of a gentle shepherd who cares for his sheep.  He tends, feeds, gathers, carries, and leads his flock.

Our God is like a shepherd to us.  He tends and feeds us, taking care of our needs.  He gathers and carries us in his arms.  And he gently leads us along the path we should go.  He doesn’t harshly drive us.  He doesn’t violently beat us. He cares for us with the gentleness of a shepherd.

Is this how you think of God – as a gentle shepherd?

In what situation in your life do you need God to carry you right now?

How do you need God to gently lead and guide you today?

The Shepherd’s Care

On By BrianIn Virtue of Gentleness

GentlenessOfGod

He will tend (feed) his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
– Isaiah 40:11 ESV (KJV)

Isaiah gives us the picture of a gentle shepherd who cares for his sheep.  He tends, feeds, gathers, carries, and leads his flock.

Our God is like a shepherd to us.  He tends and feeds us, taking care of our needs.  He gathers and carries us in his arms.  And he gently leads us along the path we should go.  He doesn’t harshly drive us.  He doesn’t violently beat us. He cares for us with the gentleness of a shepherd.

Is this how you think of God – as a gentle shepherd?

In what situation in your life do you need God to carry you right now?

How do you need God to gently lead and guide you today?