Gentleness

Gentleness

The fruit of the Spirit is . . . gentleness . . . . There is something that is hard, unreasonable, and merciless in the flesh. One of the effects of the Spirit on our mind and nature is gentleness. Therefore Paul could write, “But we were gentle among you . . . .” 1 Thess. 2:7. Also: “Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ . . . .” 2 Cor. 10:1.

In 1 Timothy 5:1 we read, “Do not rebuke [speak harshly to] an older man . . . .” The opposite then is to speak gently to him. In 2 Timothy 2:24 we have a noteworthy guideline: “A servant of the Lord must . . . be gentle to all . . . .”

Nevertheless, this does not mean only gentleness, for among many other similar scriptures, it is written: “Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God.” However, not only shall there be not just severity, but a servant of the Lord must definitely not be self-willed or quick-tempered, among other things. Tit. 1:7.

The point is that everyone is mostly used to kicks and blows from all corners; they are used to hard and unreasonable treatment, to accusations and judgments. For this very reason encountering gentleness has such a powerful, beneficial, and amazingly good effect. The flesh cannot produce this glorious fruit of the Spirit, but it can produce a substitute that resembles it especially when it is not appropriate.

We have a precious word about gentleness in Titus 3:1-3: “Remind them . . . to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.”

Consequently, Paul maintains that we have no reason whatsoever to be hard, unreasonable, merciless, or to speak evil of others.

In Proverbs 25:15 we find an extremely good and powerful word about the incredible and remarkable effects of gentleness. It is the effects that are of such great interest to us. Listen: “By long forbearance a ruler [a strong person] is persuaded, and a gentle tongue breaks a bone [those hard, strong bones!].”

Which superficial person could possibly get such an idea? Which hard and merciless or quick-tempered man or woman? Nevertheless, it is so! It is an amazing fact! Once on a particular occasion, I was a quiet and admiring witness of the effect of a brother’s gentle words on a fellow man. I will never forget it for time and eternity. Glory to God! What an experience that was.

The person who is met and served with such gentleness is, in a manner of speaking, caught off guard, because it is so unusual. He melts and is crushed. His hard bones are in a manner of speaking ground quietly and slowly yet firmly and steadily into bone meal. Everything becomes so genuinely good. In a manner of speaking, he doesn’t even realize what is happening before it is finished.

Therefore gentleness is a bone crushing machine. Its capacity of production is in relation to the amount of goodness that God has been able to create in an individual’s inner man.

May there be large amounts of it in many people’s hearts.