GENTLENESS (II)

‘Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.’ (Matthew 11:29)

Our last discourse was on one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit – Gentleness. Although we live in the same universe with the unbeliever, we do not operate under the same law. As Christians, we operate under the law of the Spirit in Christ Jesus. We make deliberate decision to crucify the flesh. Gentleness is the operation of the Spirit of life in us and it is expressed in our responsibility to crucify the flesh. Gentle people have inner strength and good self-esteem; they have rest in their souls. Their strength does not depend on others; they feel secure in themselves and in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Today we will continue on what characterizes gentleness:

1. Gentle people take time to think and are slow to respond. They do not just react or respond; they process their response. They put their brain ‘on gear.’ Between reception and expression, they take a pause. James 1:19 says, ‘Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath’
2. They study to answer. They ask questions, they think about the answer and then think about how to answer. Proverbs 15:28 says, ‘The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil’ (NKJV).
3. They are sensitive to their own vulnerability. In addressing people, they are careful not to forget that ‘For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again’ (Matthew 7:2). In gentleness we realize that we are sinners and we are saved by grace. ‘For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God’ (Ephesians 2:8 NIV).
4. They realize that there are different strokes for different people. ‘Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity’ (1 Timothy 5: 1-2). Gentle people learn to treat people differently. They know that people are not at the same level of faith and do not use the same yardstick for people. They are kind towards others. ‘A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice’ (Isaiah 42:3).
5. To be like Christ, we will go through suffering. If you are not prepared to suffer, then say goodbye to gentleness. However, our suffering is redemptive and brings greater glory. ‘Though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him’ (Hebrews 5:8). In gentleness, we must continually, ‘look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame’ (Hebrews 12:2).

I pray that the Lord will grant us grace to daily model Christ; that our lives might be the written gospel that men will read and thereby be saved.