Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness

When you hear the word "gentleness," what comes to mind? It's often mistakenly associated with weakness, but in reality, it's quite the opposite. Being gentle requires intentionality, strength, and self-control. It means being able to stop and think of others before ourselves.

I think of the times when Jesus showed gentleness, even when He was demonstrating strength. When Jesus encountered the woman accused of adultery, He spoke firmly to the crowd, challenging them to reflect on themselves rather than passing judgment, and then showed gentleness to the accused woman. I also think of the image of Jesus opening His arms to welcome children (Matthew 19:14), knowing that we all should show gentleness to the young people in our lives.

Or I picture an image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd (John 10:11-16) - a shepherd cares for his sheep, even going to find the one that is missing, leaving the 99. But the shepherd also has to be strong in protecting the flock from predators and keeping them within boundaries that keep them safe.

One of my favorite quotes from the academic Brené Brown is "Soft front, strong back." We can hold our own strength and boundaries, but the way we communicate them to others can be done in a way which is gentle and loving, reflecting Jesus and who He is. If the woman accused of adultery felt that Jesus was harsh toward her or interpreted His words as judgmental, perhaps she would have walked away, uninterested in His message of love. Instead, He spoke truth to her with care and gentleness - an example for all of us to remember.