And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, (2 Timothy
It's not easy to cultivate this fruit of the Spirit because it has many counterfeits. Some people are naturally easy-going, devoid of energy and ambition, at heart cowardly, or in spirit mean. Many of us are characterized by a moral weakness and a tendency that makes it easy for us to yield rather than compete in the physical or intellectual arena.
But in
gentleness there must be the consciousness of a considerable reserve of force.
The gentleness of God is combined with omnipotence. The movements of creation,
in which there is neither voice nor language, prove the infinite forces which
are at work. When a boy is trying to lift or carry a heavy load, as likely as
not there will be a great crash when he reaches the end of his task, and drops it
on the ground. His strength is so completely exhausted that he is only too glad
to get rid of his burden, anyway, and at any cost. But if a strong man
shoulders the same burden, and carries it for the same distance, he puts it
down gently, because he has not taxed his strength and has plenty left.
It is the
prerogative of great strength to be gentle. Always remember that you are linked
with the Infinite God, and that all things are possible to you. There must also
be infinite pity. We must be tolerant and pitiful to those who abuse us, or
have been embittered by disappointment, or have been terribly mistreated. It
must be our aim to make allowances for such, and always to be sweetly
reasonable towards any unfriendliness, rudeness and bad manners of their behavior.
Let's be willing to admit that much is due to habitual resentment. Therefore,
we bear gently with the erring, and with those who are out of the way, because
we also are encompassed with infirmity.
It's necessary
also that there should be a deep humility. Thomas Kempis says: "If thou wilt be borne with, bear also
with another. Endeavour to be patient in bearing with the defects and
infirmities of others, what sort soever they be: for that thyself also hast
many failings which must be borne by others." Our resentment against
others should be always tempered by our remembrance of our own sins. So shall
we be God's own gentle people.
PRAYER
Heavenly
Father, our behavior has not manifested all the fruits of the Spirit, or been
full of the graciousness and gentleness of Christ. Forgive us, and enable us so
to live that His beauty may be on our faces, the tone of His voice in our
speech, the gentleness of His walk in our steps, the unselfishness of His deeds
in our hands. I pray this in his name, AMEN.
God's
Daily Promise
Promise #314:
I have given you the Spirit of adoption so you can call Me Father.
Romans 8:15 (WEB)
For you didn’t receive the
spirit of bondage again to fear,
but you received the Spirit
of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
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