Moses was one of the most powerful people on earth, and yet, he was praised for being meek (gentle). We’ve all heard of a ‘gentle giant’, and although we are not sure how big Moses was, he was a giant wielding that staff he was given by God. To hold power correctly, we need the right grip - not too loose so we lose it, but certainly not too tight so we cause unnecessary tension. The weak (not meek) are unsure of their power and wield it with aggression. To be gentle, we must hold power with:
A GENTLE ATTITUDE…
“By the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed.” Romans 12:3
A gentle spirit begins inwardly with the acceptance of God’s grace, because it changes the way we see ourselves and then, how we perceive others. It starts in the heart. But there are two main reasons people are not gentle: vanity and insecurity. Vain people believe they are better than everyone, so they can be as harsh and demanding as they want because the ‘lessers’ are unimportant. The insecure look down on themselves and are filled with fear. This fear, usually resulting from envy (comparisons) of others, causes them to be cruel in their dealings. But humble, secure people can be gentle because they are filled with grace. The need to flex, shout or put others down to elevate themselves is no longer important.
…AND A GENTLE APPROACH.
“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” Philippians 4:5
Just the fact ‘the Lord is near’ should cause us to pump our brakes a bit. If Jesus were in the room, wouldn’t it modify how we handled others? Out of respect for Him, we’d have a gentler touch - always better and more effective than having a heavy hand. Being gentle is a blessing to everyone, and it is a great tool for evangelism. Rather than being over-bearing, let us bear in mind that Jesus is returning. Mean, judgy Christians are the last thing that people need. They need a gentle spirit that will allow them to approach God so they too can receive His grace.
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