Thursday, May 12, 2016

Firm Gentleness

"God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth" (Matt. 5:5).

Gentleness means kindness and friendliness in your interaction with others. It is the exact opposite of self-assertion where you and your own interests comes first. Self-assertion is in fact a denial of God and His omnipotence to intervene or take action. Gentleness is acknowledging your total dependence and genuine selflessness.

Gentle people are contented, in contrast to those who are greedy. The latter are the "grabbers" in life and they desperately cling to everything they can get hold of. Gentle people are the "givers" who want to make others happy. God smiles through their eyes.

Jesus is the epitome of gentleness: "See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey" (Matt. 21:5 NIV). His gentleness was not soft or weak, but decisive and powerful. He taught us to forgive those who wrong us and to return evil with good.

The world doesn't belong to the brutal, but to the gentle - and so does God's new world. Behind every gentle person stands an Almighty God who takes care of them. Only the Holy Spirit can lead you to this Christian virtue (see Gal. 5:22-23). And this virtue leads you into God's kingdom.

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