The Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

The Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness

"Let your gentleness be evident to all." - Philippians 4:5

443
The Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness
McKenzie Julian

Gentleness is not a timid spirit. It is not weak. Gentleness is a soft yet strong hand. Gentleness does not mean someone lacks strength or power. Christ was the strongest and most powerful man to ever live. However, even though Christ was strong, He was gentle.

"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." - Matthew 11:29

Jesus described himself as gentle and proved that He was. When he confronted the adulterous woman, He didn't shame her for her sins. He didn't throw stones at her. Rather, He stood up for her and gently told her to go and sin no more (John 8:1-11). Additionally, the prophets described Christ as gentle.

"He will tend 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

Christ fulfilled the prophecies made in the Old Testament. He looked out for His people and cared for them with a gentle spirit. He humbled himself to show gentleness to all.

The apostles recognized that He was gentle. Whats more, they recognized that gentleness could not exist without humility. Christ wasn't prideful. Pride causes people to become arrogant, self-righteous, and harsh. Jesus was none of that. Rather, He showed others humility and gentleness. Even though He was greater than them all, and is greater than all of us, He shows us love through serving us, speaking to us softly, comforting us when we're weak and tired, kindly correcting our sins, and pointing us in the right direction.

Humans are touched by gentleness. When someone is gentle, rather than harsh, a person feels safe. Gentleness can change lives, which is why it is so important to humble ourselves. Gentleness isn't just a mere set of actions to take; it's a state of the heart. It's an attitude of wanting to help others simply out of love. It's not thinking that we're better than someone. We should want to be a servant to them; not a superior.

How Do I Show Gentleness?

Meekness is another word in the Bible that refers to gentleness. It means to let go and submit. Before we can show gentleness to others, we must first be meek and submit to God. We cannot be gentle unless He is guiding us. Let God teach you. Let Him guide you. Be willing to yield to Him. Once we allow Him to guide us, He will show us how to be gentle with others.

We must be willing to forgive just as Christ has forgiven us. Bitterness, anger, and grudges are not part of God's will for us and they don't reflect a gentle heart. Ask God to help you forgive both yourself and others.

Humble yourself. Remind yourself that Christ loves your neighbor just as much as He loves you. He died for us all. Christ is the only one who should be considered great. Don't think of yourself as much. Rather, adopt a servant's attitude and seek out ways in which you can serve others.

"He must become great; I must become less." - John 3:30

Give up judgment. God is the Judge; not us. It is not our role to judge others. We should not be calling curses on others because of their sins. We should not be quick to point out the sins of others while failing to see and fix our own. We're no better than anyone else; we just have different sins. Let God deal with sin. Instead, focus on loving others. Love them unconditionally. This doesn't mean you should waver on your beliefs. Hold God's word as true, but don't push your beliefs or judgment on others.

"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." - Proverbs 15:1

Let love and the desire to serve fill your hearts. Be kind. Be soft. Let gentleness become the way you treat others.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

70740
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132359
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments