Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness

It’s hard to believe how quickly July flew by and that we are already in the month of August. I’m not sure I’ve caught my breath yet. For me, July proved to be a difficult month on a number of levels that featured a little celebration at the end. I’m in the middle of two big projects at work that at times feel like they could be the death of me as I also find myself trying to tackle a big problem regarding food donations.

And I’m putting the final touches on my upcoming art exhibit.

And I celebrated my 59th birthday. Next year is the big 6-0. It seems like the big 4-0 and big 5-0 just happened yesterday.

So forgive me if I’m not feeling super gentle today.

But, here we are: looking at gentleness, a Fruit of the Spirit.

²² But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 

Galatians 5:22-23 NLT

Gentleness…

In Galatians 5:23, the Apostle Paul reveals gentleness (praÿtēs) is an element of the ninefold Fruit of the Spirit.

In 2 Corinthians 10:1, the Apostle Paul appeals to his audience with the gentleness (epieikeia) of Christ, coupled with his meekness (praÿtēs).

Th Greek word, epieikeia, hints of the yielding of a judge, who, instead of exacting the stiff penalty required by strict justice, decides to give weight to circumstances which call for mercy.

This mirrors the condescension of the divine Judge—Almighty God—who, by refusing to exercise the full demands of the Law, lifts up those (us) who would be crushed under its condemnation.

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CONDESCENSION (or Accommodation)

The theological concept that God, while being in his nature unknowable and unreachable, has nevertheless communicated with humanity in a way that humans can understand and to which they can respond. For example, God has done this by providing the living Word through the Incarnation of Christ and similarly, through providing us with His revealed Word (the Bible).

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From a Biblical perspective—and The Devotional Guy™ is, after all, a Christian blog encouraging people to hold fast to a Biblical perspective in a post-pandemic world—gentleness means acting in a manner that is humble, mild, and even-tempered.

I don’t know about you, but I struggle to do this, especially relying on my own strength. Fortunately, gentleness is a Fruit of the Spirit, meaning that it is fueled by the Holy Spirit and not solely dependent on me.

That’s the beauty of the Fruit of the Spirit! It’s not derived from us but rather from God himself dwelling inside of us. (That’s GOOD news!)

Compassion rests at the root of gentleness. I’ve grown to believe that Christlike compassion fuels almost all of the Fruit of the Spirit, especially gentleness.

Think about it.

Being gentle requires humility.

Humility stems from the compassion that is birthed from recognizing our own brokenness and receiving the redemptive love of Jesus Christ.

I’ve been blessed to experience the genuine gentleness of several godly souls, like Gordon McDonald and Momma Jo. The Lord used them to show me what is possible when people choose to walk closely with Him daily and make room for the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

I’ve got a ways to go still.

How about you? Have you mastered the art of gentleness?

Know you are loved.

I pray this post is a blessing to you.

Thanks for reading and taking time to comment.

Being more gentle,

Rainer Bantau —The Devotional Guy™

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References:

The New Bible Dictionary, Third Edition

The New Living Translation Bible

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