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MEDITATION:

Written by Jerry Bridges (1929-2016, an evangelical Christian author, speaker and staff member of The Navigators. This is an excerpt from his book “The Fruitful Life.”

Writing in 1839, George Bethune said, “Perhaps no grace is less prayed for, or less cultivated than gentleness. Indeed it is considered rather as belonging to natural disposition or external manners, than as a Christian virtue; and seldom do we reflect that not to be gentle is sin.” The Christian attitude toward gentleness does not seem to have changed in the more than 160 years since Bethune penned those words. I once asked a co-worker in our own ministry if he was aware of anyone who was praying for or seeking to cultivate gentleness. He thought for a moment and then said no. This is not to say that the grace of gentleness is entirely absent from the Christian community, but perhaps we don’t value it as highly as God values it.

Gentleness is somewhat difficult to define because it is often confused with meekness, which is another Christian virtue that we should pursue.  Billy Graham defines gentleness as “mildness in dealing with others…It displays a sensitive regard for others and is careful never to be unfeeling for the rights of others.” Gentleness is an active trait, describing the manner in which we should treat others. Meekness is a passive trait, describing the proper Christian response when others mistreat us. Both gentleness and meekness are born of power, not weakness. There is a pseudo-gentleness that is timidity, and there is a pseudo-meekness that is cowardly. But a Christian is to be gentle and meek because those are godlike virtues.

PRAYER:

Written by John Baillie (1886-1960), a Scottish theologian and a Church of Scotland minister.

This day O Lord —

Give me courtesy;

Give me both gentleness of demeanor and decisiveness of character;

Give me patience;

Give me love;

Give me self-control and faithfulness in my relationships;

Give me sincerity in my speech;

Give me diligence in the work you have given me to do.

O Lord, who when the time was right raised up our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to enlighten our hearts with the knowledge of your love, grant me the grace to be worthy of his name. Amen.