“The Need to be Gentle!”
Are you a gentle person? Evaluate the way that you conduct yourself on a day to day basis. How have you responded to people in conversations or in conduct? Have you been gentle? One of the things that can instantly put a bad taste in one’s mouth, ruin a good moment, a good conversation or even a relationship is coming in contact with someone who is not being gentle. God is calling all Christians to BE GENTLE! Gentle in your conversation, your conduct and in your relationships. It’s a need! Let’s talk about it.
Galatians 5:22-23 says “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (let’s just focus on gentleness). Against such there is no law.” Since gentleness is one of the fruits of the Spirit we know that we are not naturally inclined be gentle. We need the Spirit of God working in us to produce gentleness. This character trait is produced when the Holy Spirit transforms us and takes out our nature and put in the nature of Christ. As brilliant as we are, we need the help of the Holy Spirit to be gentle. The more we grow in our relationship with God, the more He transforms us.
What does it mean to be gentle? So glad that you asked. Gentleness is the quality of being kind and careful. Let’s look at what it means to be gentle and the opposite of gentleness.
Gentleness: Compassion, kindness, meekness, being polite, restrained behavior and forgiveness are traits of gentleness. When one is gentle, they will correct others with easiness instead of arguing with resentment or anger. It’s a soft touch. As gentle people we must recognize that God’s ways and thoughts are high above our own.
The Opposite of Gentleness: Impolite, rough, callous, cruel, agitated, rude, unmannerly, hateful, irritable, noisy, sharp, roused, coarse, disagreeable, boisterous, unfeeling, unfriendly, unhappy, heavy, violent, turbulent, unkind, troubled and not being compassionate.
Evaluate yourself, have you been gentle this week? If the answer is no, ask God to forgive you and if necessary the person to whom you have not been gentle. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you to be gentle. Gentleness is a sign that the Spirit of God is in control of your life. When we display gentleness our relationships will be positively impacted and God gets the glory! Let’s walk in the Spirit of Christ and not our own.
Until next week. . .
Carolyn
Marriage from A to Z 