Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. (1 Timothy 6:9-11 NIV)
It's hard to stay gentle all day every day. We are told by the world around us that we need to be passionate about things like money, sex, and power. When we do follow the world's advice, we find ourselves struggling to get these things. When we get them, we struggle because they do not satisfy. When we don't get them, we struggle because "roadblocks" got in our way. These (and other) battles get us revved up for war, not for peace. Gentleness only comes when we experience peace. God gives us peace so we will know we are walking with Him. God also gives us peace so we will be gentle with others.
For it is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits-- to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand--with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. (1 Peter 3:17-22 NIV)
Jesus experienced peace and lived out gentleness because he aligned his will with the Father's. We can do the same. We experience peace when we get rid of the things in our minds and hearts that are against God's will, in rebellion to Him. We never experience peace when we fight God. That's because we cannot fight God and win. When we align ourselves with God, though, we experience peace. When we experience peace, it is much easier to treat others with gentleness.
How about you? Do you experience peace in your mind and heart? When you do, are you gentle with others? When you don't experience peace, how gentle are you? How consistent is your gentleness?
Showing posts with label 15.2.18 - Spirit Fruit (Gentleness). Show all posts
Showing posts with label 15.2.18 - Spirit Fruit (Gentleness). Show all posts
Friday, September 25, 2015
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Gentleness Reflects Christ
Gentleness not only draws people and builds trust, it also reflects an inner strength that comes directly from God.
Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. (1 Timothy 3:1-3 NIV)
An overseer, as translated here, is also translated as an elder or a bishop. Each of these are valid translations of the same Greek word, episkopos. The character qualities listed here, then, are for leaders in God's Church. These leaders are to be "not violent but gentle" and "not quarrelsome." Why would such character qualities be important for a leader in the Church? Perhaps they are important because they were important to Christ.
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:15-16 NIV)
Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. (1 Timothy 3:1-3 NIV)
An overseer, as translated here, is also translated as an elder or a bishop. Each of these are valid translations of the same Greek word, episkopos. The character qualities listed here, then, are for leaders in God's Church. These leaders are to be "not violent but gentle" and "not quarrelsome." Why would such character qualities be important for a leader in the Church? Perhaps they are important because they were important to Christ.
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:15-16 NIV)
In the end, Christ followers reflect Christ. Sometimes were are a good, clear reflection. Other times, our reflection is bad, fuzzy, or even completely blocked. To the extent that we reflect Christ, though, we will have gentleness in our lives. It draws people. It builds trust. It reflects Christ. And when we reflect Christ in this way, people will see it. Even our detractors will recognize they don't have a leg to stand on.
So, how about you? Is your gentleness evident? Is your gentleness on par with God's leaders? Is your gentleness similar to that of Christ? How well does your gentleness reflect Christ?
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Gentleness Builds Trust
It's all well and good to say that gentleness draws people, but sometimes people just drive us nuts! (My mother-in-law says that, for me, it's more of a short putt than a drive.) What should we do, then, when people get to us? Paul struggled with this, we can tell.
Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit? (1 Corinthians 4:18-21 NIV)
Maybe Paul liked to slay dragons, conquer the next hill, or fight the enemy. People noticed the difference between the "timid" Paul and the "bold" Paul. The problem with this struggle is that people can tell that you are fighting inside and can fear that that battle inside will come outside, getting dumped on them.
By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you--I, Paul, who am "timid" when face to face with you, but "bold" toward you when away! I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:1-6 NIV)
This is why it's so important to remember the picture we find in Scripture. The enemy is described as an enemy to be fought. The enemy is a spiritual enemy, communicating with thoughts, ideas, and words. We fight the enemy using weapons designed to battle that enemy.
People are described as rebellious, captives, or as confused. We are called to love people, not destroy them. We are told to let the truth set us free, set the captives free, and become God's team (Body) working together toward this end. Consistent gentleness helps with this picture, because gentleness builds trust.
How about you? Do you struggle inside your mind? Does that struggle come out of your mind and get dumped on other people? Are you gentle with people? When you are consistently gentle, does it build trust?
Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit? (1 Corinthians 4:18-21 NIV)
Maybe Paul liked to slay dragons, conquer the next hill, or fight the enemy. People noticed the difference between the "timid" Paul and the "bold" Paul. The problem with this struggle is that people can tell that you are fighting inside and can fear that that battle inside will come outside, getting dumped on them.
By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you--I, Paul, who am "timid" when face to face with you, but "bold" toward you when away! I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:1-6 NIV)
This is why it's so important to remember the picture we find in Scripture. The enemy is described as an enemy to be fought. The enemy is a spiritual enemy, communicating with thoughts, ideas, and words. We fight the enemy using weapons designed to battle that enemy.
People are described as rebellious, captives, or as confused. We are called to love people, not destroy them. We are told to let the truth set us free, set the captives free, and become God's team (Body) working together toward this end. Consistent gentleness helps with this picture, because gentleness builds trust.
How about you? Do you struggle inside your mind? Does that struggle come out of your mind and get dumped on other people? Are you gentle with people? When you are consistently gentle, does it build trust?
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Gentleness Draws People
I don't know if you've ever noticed it before, but you can tell a lot about a dog by simply trying to pet it. When I reach out my hand to pet a dog I've never met, it's reaction will tell me how it has been treated in the past. A well-trained dog will sit still and wait for my hand to complete it's journey. It may want to move or make a sound, but its training will take over and it will simply sit and watch. An aggressive dog will growl at you, perhaps taking a stance that tells you, "Back off!" A dog that is used to being beaten will flinch and cower, maybe even letting out a little yelp to express its fear. The dog reacts to the movement of the hand.
Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. (Titus 3:1-2 NIV)
People react much the same way. An aggressive approach toward a person will evoke a strong reaction from that person. Their reaction will reflect their training, aggression, or even fear pretty quickly. The problem with these reactions is that they close down healthy communications or even the possibility for a relationship. Perhaps that is why Jesus approached people with gentleness.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)
Women and children definitely experienced gentleness from Jesus. Even men who were far away from God experienced gentleness as well. Sinners, tax collectors, and fishermen all experienced the gentleness of Jesus. That's because Jesus was sent to seek and save the lost. That's also because Jesus knew that gentleness draws people to us. Once they come to us, we can point them to our Father in heaven who sent us.
How about you? Do you treat people with gentleness? Do you remember how Jesus treated people with gentleness? When people draw near to you, do you point them to our Father in heaven?
Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. (Titus 3:1-2 NIV)
People react much the same way. An aggressive approach toward a person will evoke a strong reaction from that person. Their reaction will reflect their training, aggression, or even fear pretty quickly. The problem with these reactions is that they close down healthy communications or even the possibility for a relationship. Perhaps that is why Jesus approached people with gentleness.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)
Women and children definitely experienced gentleness from Jesus. Even men who were far away from God experienced gentleness as well. Sinners, tax collectors, and fishermen all experienced the gentleness of Jesus. That's because Jesus was sent to seek and save the lost. That's also because Jesus knew that gentleness draws people to us. Once they come to us, we can point them to our Father in heaven who sent us.
How about you? Do you treat people with gentleness? Do you remember how Jesus treated people with gentleness? When people draw near to you, do you point them to our Father in heaven?
Monday, September 21, 2015
Gentleness
But the fruit of the Spirit is...gentleness. (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV)
It seems strange, as a man, to be teaching about gentleness. Maybe that's because there is a part of me that wants to slay the dragon, conquer the next hill, and rescue the damsel in distress. Perhaps it is the part of me that wants to follow in the steps of Tim the Tool Man and rev up the power tools to maximum capacity. More than that, it's probably because, out of all the Spirit-fruit discussed here, this is the one I have traditionally had the most difficulty living out.
Different "outbursts" have ruined my spirit of gentleness over the years. Sometimes I can't keep my mouth shut because I have something "brilliant" to say. At other times, I get angry, especially when I see one person hurting another person, and I haven't held back my verbal harpoon at the perceived aggressor. Sometimes, my excitement about a topic or event has simply overwhelmed the person I was speaking with. I was anything but gentle.
This week is good for me, then. I will need these posts to remind me how important gentleness is to God and His plan for our lives. It not only reminds me of the importance, but it helps me see different ways to be gentle when working with people. I need to remind myself to love God and love people, being humble and gentle in heart.
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12 NIV)
How about you? Do you find it easy or difficult to be gentle? Why do you think that is?
It seems strange, as a man, to be teaching about gentleness. Maybe that's because there is a part of me that wants to slay the dragon, conquer the next hill, and rescue the damsel in distress. Perhaps it is the part of me that wants to follow in the steps of Tim the Tool Man and rev up the power tools to maximum capacity. More than that, it's probably because, out of all the Spirit-fruit discussed here, this is the one I have traditionally had the most difficulty living out.
Different "outbursts" have ruined my spirit of gentleness over the years. Sometimes I can't keep my mouth shut because I have something "brilliant" to say. At other times, I get angry, especially when I see one person hurting another person, and I haven't held back my verbal harpoon at the perceived aggressor. Sometimes, my excitement about a topic or event has simply overwhelmed the person I was speaking with. I was anything but gentle.
This week is good for me, then. I will need these posts to remind me how important gentleness is to God and His plan for our lives. It not only reminds me of the importance, but it helps me see different ways to be gentle when working with people. I need to remind myself to love God and love people, being humble and gentle in heart.
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12 NIV)
How about you? Do you find it easy or difficult to be gentle? Why do you think that is?
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