Apply Gentleness…When?
I had an interesting conversation with my youngest daughter recently. She has such a heart for God and seems absolutely free from fear when it comes to sharing the Gospel. Believe it or not, she is pretty effective sharing with her unbelieving friends! Even at eighteen years of age, she has learned some of the rules for appropriate and wise proclamation.
One of those rules is the necessity of gentle proclamation. When I (Chris) was researching to write Make Us One: Christian Unity in Beijing, I spent a great deal of time looking into the Scriptures on the themes of love, patience, humility, and gentleness. These four virtues are the heart of Paul’s words on unity in Ephesians 4.
When I was grappling with the extent of the word “gentleness” in the Bible, I looked up every usage of it in the New Testament. Not surprisingly, relationships between believers are to be characterized by gentleness. Paul writes to the Colossian church, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another…” (Colossians 3:13).
But we are not only to be gentle with fellow believers. The New Testament used the word to describe our relationship with non-believers.
Most Christians are familiar with Peter’s words, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” But are we as familiar with the next line of the same verse? “But do this with gentleness and respect” (I Peter 3:15)
In our proclamation of the Gospel—our everyday sharing of the Good News—we are to speak in gentleness.
This is relatively easy to do with friends. When my daughter is at school, sharing with her friends, she is gentle and respectful. But how do we share with our “enemies”? Paul wrote to the young pastor Timothy how to deal with “opponents.” “Do not have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth…” (II Tim 2:23-25, emphasis mine).
The answer is: with gentleness! We are to speak with fellow believers in gentleness. We are to share the good news with our friends with gentleness. And we are even to speak to our opponents gently! I suppose to sum these verses up, we might say that we are to speak gently to everyone.
Lord Jesus, You were so gentle with those who came to You in faith, and even to your opponents You showed wisdom mixed with restraint. Holy Spirit, please fill me to overflowing with all of You so that I display the full fruit of the Spirit! I yield myself to your gentle way; teach me your way so I may display all the Father’s good works to others. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.