Gentleness: June 8, 2011

JUNE 8 2011. TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY JUNE 8, 2011

GENTLENESS

DEFINITION:

Mildness combined with tenderness; kind; mild-mannered; meek.

SCRIPTURE:

What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness? I Corinthians 4:21.

But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. I Timothy 6:11.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

One of the characteristics of Jesus was that when He was on this earth He was gentle. In Matthew we read about His triumphal entry into Jerusalem and it reads that He came as a gentle king.

In Matthew 11:29 Jesus told us to “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.”

In Isaiah 40:11 the prophet tells of the coming of the Lord and describes Jesus by saying that “He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather His lambs with His arms and gently lead those that are young.”

Gentleness is a characteristic missing from lifestyles today. Very rarely will you meet a person that you will characterize as gentle. People are not gentle by nature. The apostle Paul exhorts us in II Timothy 2:24, “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach and be patient.”

At times in our everyday lives there seems to be a conflict as to how we are to respond to situations. We must consciously work on responding as the scriptures tell us by being gentle, mild and tender in our response.

In the verse above from I Corinthians Paul makes it very clear to us that we have the option to approach one with a rod or in love. Paul tells Timothy (also in a verse above) to flee from the things that bring ruin and destruction and pursue a life that constantly shows righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness.

God wants us to be gentle to those we meet. Again in the verse above from I Timothy Paul makes it very clear to us that we have a choice. We can follow the Lord and be gentle or we can be harsh and straightforward but we cannot be both. This verse goes on to tell us that when we follow Him the Holy Spirit will bring into our lives such things as gentleness and kindness.

In Proverbs 15:1 it reads that a gentle and kind answer turns away wrath, but a harsh answer stirs up anger. How do you respond to people and situations? Consider responding today to every situation that comes your way with gentleness and see what God does for you.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in James 4:7.

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

PRAYER:

Help me to learn the secret of being gentle. May the gentleness that I read about in Your Word be transferred to my life. May gentleness, kindness, godliness and meekness become part of my life.