Don’t You Enjoy Being Around a Gentle Person?

There is a dear, gentle lady in Pam and my small community that we enjoy being around.  She is always settled, patient, kind, thoughtful, and relaxed.  I find myself emotionally healing just hanging out with her.  In contrast, our world is dominated by selfishness which produces stress and irritation as we deal with others.  Worldly success is based on a performance metrics with little room for mistakes.  Judgment is harsh and unkind.  So, anytime I can hangout with our dear gentle friend is considered a premium.

Synonyms of gentle are kindhearted, tenderhearted, merciful, forgiving, forbearing, sympathetic, considerate, understanding, loving, humble, unassuming, and peaceful.  I find that simply reading through this list is therapeutic.

Did you know that there is only one verse in the Bible where Jesus describes Himself at His core?  Matthew 11, ²⁸ “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ 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. ³⁰ For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.”  Do you know why hanging out with Jesus is so healing?  Christ is “gentle and humble in heart.”  What a joy to cozy up to and spend time with Him!

According to the Bible, gentleness restores others.  “Brothers and sisters, even if a person is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual are to restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness… ² Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:1&2) Gentleness and restoration go together.

2 Timothy 2 describes the power of gentleness, ²⁴ The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, skillful in teaching, patient when wronged, ²⁵ with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.  Correcting others is not pounding others with the Word, but gently applying His word and ways to another person. 

Gentleness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22&23).  1 Timothy tells us to flee from the ways of the world and what to pursue, ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of allsorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. ¹¹ But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.

Do you want to be wise and understanding?  James 3:10 explains how, Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.

I know this is an oxymoron, but in the spiritual and relational world, gentleness is powerful.  Don’t you enjoy being around a gentle person?