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Gentleness has been defined in the following ways:
 | "Mildness in dealing with others. Gentleness
displays a sensitive regard for others and is careful never to be unfeeling
for the rights of others." Billy Graham |
| "Gentleness is an active trait describing the manner
in which we should treat others." Jerry
Bridges |
| "It is the grace which pervades the whole nature,
mellowing all which would be harsh. Likened to the harmlessness of a
dove." Spiros Zodhiates - The Complete
Word Study Dictionary |
Jerry Bridges distinguishes the two "gentleness &
meekness" in the same way the Greek writers do:
| 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 & meekness) are born of power, not
weakness. Let's look at the following verses in the following order:
Isaiah 40, verse 10 - "See,
the Sovereign LORD
comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with
him, and his recompense accompanies him."
Isaiah 40, verse 15 - "Surely
the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on
the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust."
Isaiah 40, verse 25 & 26 - '"To
whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One.
Lift you eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who
brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.'
Isaiah 40, verse 11 - "He
tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and
carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have
young."
Did you see it? In the midst of this power
is gentleness. We should never confuse gentleness with weakness.
"Gentleness - the way we treat others"
- The gentleness of Christ is described in Mathew 11: 28 thru 30 - "Come
to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take
my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you
will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is
light." What better time to receive the
gentleness of Christ than when we are burdened, heavy laden, weighted down by
life's pressures (demands of family, job pressures, finances, not enough time in
the day, etc.) Look again at what our gentle Jesus says "Come
to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take
my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you
will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is
light." Does the word "rest" in the preceding
verse mean to lay down? I don't think so. "Rest" is not an
inactivity, "rest" is an inward tranquility while one performs
necessary labor. The Lord promises inner tranquility to the weary and
heavy laden who come to Him while they are engaged in necessary labor.
"Meekness - refers to the passive way
we respond to others when we are mistreated" - Meekness is not occupied
with self, what belongs to it, what is right by it or how it should be
treated. According to Vines Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words -
"It is an inwrought grace of the soul; and the exercise of it are
first and chiefly towards God. It is that temper of spirit in which we
accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or
resisting.....it is only the humble heart which is also the meek, and which, as
such, does not fight against God and more or less struggle and contend
with Him. This meekness, however, being first of all a meekness before
God, is also such in the face of men, even of evil men, out of a sense that
these, with the insults and injuries which they may inflict, are permitted and
employed by Him (God) for the chastening and purifying of His elect."
"In Galatians 5: 22-23 it is associated with enkrateia,
self-control." "But the fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no
law." (Galatians Chapter 5, verses 22-23) Vines Expository Dictionary also states "It must be
clearly understood, therefore, that the meekness manifested by the Lord and
commended to the believer is the fruit of power. The common assumption is
that when a man is meek it is because he cannot help himself; but the Lord
was 'meek' because He had the infinite resources of God at His
command." Zodhiates says "meekness does not denote an outward
expression of feeling but an inward grace of the soul, a calmness toward
God. It is accepting God's dealing with us, considering them as good in
that they enhance the closeness of our relationship with Him. Meekness
does not blame God for the persecutions and evil doings of men."
Now lets look at the following verses that deal
with gentleness and meekness (humility):
|
II Corinthians Chapter 10, verse 1 - "By
the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you--I, Paul, who am
"timid" when face to face with you, but "bold" when
away! |
|
Titus Chapter 3, verses 1 & 2 - "Remind
the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be
ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and
considerate, and to show true humility toward all men." |
|
Colossians Chapter 3, verse 12 - "Therefore
as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with
compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." |
|
I Timothy Chapter 6, verses 9 thru 11 - "People
who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish
and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the
love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for
money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness,
godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness." |
|
I Corinthians Chapter 4, verse 21 - "What
do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a
gentle spirit? This verse is not only an
indication as to how we want God to treat us but how we should treat others. |
|
Galatians Chapter 6, verse 1 - "Brothers,
if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him
gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted." |
|
II Timothy Chapter 2, verses 24 thru 26
- "And the Lord's servant
must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not
resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope
that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the
truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of
the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will." |
|
James Chapter 1, verse 21 thru 25 - "Therefore,
get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly
accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to
the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what
it says. Anyone who
listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at
his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and
immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently
into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not
forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he
does." |
|
I Peter Chapter 3, verses 15 thru 16 - "But
in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an
answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you
have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear
conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior
in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." |
The greatest examples of meekness were seen in
the last hours of Jesus' life before He died on the cross. Let's look at
these:
| Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem |
Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a young donkey. 'Jesus
found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, "Do not be
afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's
colt."' (John Chapter 12, verses 14
thru 15) You
might be wondering, what does the fact that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a
donkey have to do with meekness. For that answer we need to look in the
Old Testament "Rejoice
greatly, O Daughter
of Zion! Shout, Daughter
of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having
salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal
of a donkey." (Zechariah Chapter 9, verse
9) The verse found in the Old
Testament describes how the Messiah will enter into Jerusalem and also
specifically states that He is gentle. Jesus did not enter Jerusalem
riding on a mighty stallion, rather He chose to enter Jerusalem riding on a
young donkey. The symbolism is clear, riding on a young donkey
symbolized gentleness and meekness.
| Garden of Gethsemane |
Judas and the Roman soldiers arrive to
arrest Jesus. Judas kisses Jesus as a signal to the soldiers as to
the one to arrest. Jesus responds in meekness "Friend,
do what you came for." (Mathew Chapter
26, verse 50)
Peter draws a sword and cuts off soldier's
ear - Jesus in gentleness responds 'But
Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And he touched the man's ear
and healed him.' (Luke Chapter 22, verse 51)
| Before the high priest and the Sanhedrin
Jesus is
arrested and taken to Annas and Caiaphas (high priest of the Sanhedrin) -
The chief priests and the Sanhedrin falsely accuse him, they spit in His
face and beat Him with their fists while others slap Him. Jesus does
not fight back. Think about it, this is God in the flesh being
beaten by evil men. Look at how Jesus had previously responded to
Peter - '"Put your
sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw
the sword will die by the sword. Do
you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal
more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures
be fulfilled that
say it must happen in this way?"' (Mathew Chapter
26, verses 52 thru 54) A legion of angels consist of 6000 angels. Jesus had
more than 72,000 angels at his disposal. Jesus was meek and
committed to the will of God the Father. |
|
Before Pilate and Herod and at the Cross
|
Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Jesus.
Pilate ordered that Jesus be flogged with a whip and then crucified.
This whip had strands on the end where sharp stones where attached so that the
whip would tear and cut the skin. After they had flogged Jesus, the
soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on Jesus' head.
The soldiers then carried out the orders of Pilate to crucify Jesus
by nailing Him to a cross. The soldiers took Jesus' clothes and
divided them into four lots except for the undergarment. This garment
was seamless so they decided not to tear it but to cast lots for it. Can
you visualize the scene just described. Jesus (God the Son) is bleeding
and dying on the cross in plain view for anyone to see. The soldiers
have divided his clothes amongst themselves and gambled for his
undergarment. Every breath that Jesus is taking requires tremendous
effort. Loved ones are crying while others are mocking Him. 'The
people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said,
"He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the
Chosen One."' (Luke Chapter 23, verse 35)
Yet, despite all the shame and mocking, Jesus endures the cross. "Let
us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the
joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the
right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such
opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose
heart." (Hebrews Chapter 12, verses 2 thru 3)
The word "joy" in this verse is an inner tranquility based on
accepting God the Father's will in dealing with Him as being good - not for
His good in this case but for our good. Consider the two thieves that
were crucified on either side of Jesus. One thief was casting insults at
Jesus. Look at the dialogue that took place between the other thief and
Jesus: 'Then he said, "Jesus,
remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him,
"I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke Chapter
23, verses 22 thru 43) Even while nailed to the cross,
Jesus responds with gentleness and a promise. Jesus willingly laid down
His life for others, the ultimate sacrifice. Remember, He could have
called down over 72,000 angels to destroy the entire world if He so
chose. But He chose to stay on the cross, to die for our sins, for our
good, so that we could be saved. Jesus had a humble heart, He was
committed to doing the Father's will. By dying on the cross, accepting upon
Himself the punishment that we deserved, He accomplished the Father's will and
glorified God the Father. "So
whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of
God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church
of God-- even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not
seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." (I
Corinthians Chapter 10, verse 31 thru Chapter 11, verse 1) Whatever
you do, do all to the glory of God. When we treat others with
gentleness, we glorify the Father. When we respond in meekness to the
mistreatment directed toward us by others, we glorify the Father. Think
about the words of the following hymn: When
I Survey
1. When I survey the
wondrous cross, on which the Prince of Glory died, My richest gain I count
but loss and pour contempt on all my pride. 2.
Forbid it Lord that I should boast, save in the death of Christ my
God. All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His
blood. 3. See from
His head, His hands, His feet. Sorrow and love flow mingled
down. Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a
crown? 4. Were the
whole realm of nature mine, that were a treasure far too small. Love
so amazing, so divine demands my soul, my life, my all.
What are some practical things to do on
our pursuit and practice of godliness?
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First of all decide that these are traits that we really
want to have. We want to deal with others gently and respond in
meekness. We really care and want to put others before ourselves.
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We will ask those who know us best and will be honest, how
we come across to other people. "Better
is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be
trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses." (Proverbs Chapter
27, verses 5 thru 6)
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Ask the Holy Spirit to make us aware of specific
situations in which we fail to act with gentleness or concern for others,
and also when we fail to exhibit meekness. Be sensitive to the
feelings of others. More importantly, be sensitive to the leading
and prompting of the Holy Spirit. Only when we realize our failures
in these areas will we begin to prayerfully seek God's guidance and
strength in these areas.
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Memorize and meditate on Scripture. Following are
some to start with:
"Come
to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take
my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you
will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is
light." (Mathew Chapter 11, verses 28 thru 30)
"Make sure that
nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other
and to everyone else." (I Thessalonians
Chapter 5, verse 15)
"But I tell you who hear
me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who
curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." (Luke
Chapter 6, verses 27 thru 28)
"Let
us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the
joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the
right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such
opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose
heart." (Hebrews Chapter 12, verses 2 thru 3)
"And we know that in all things
God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according
to his purpose." (Romans Chapter 8, verse 28)
"I took you from
the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said,
'You are my servant'; I have chosen you and have not rejected you; So do not
fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will
strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right
hand. All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced;
those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search
for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against
you will be as nothing at all. For I am the LORD,
your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I
will help you. Do
not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you,
declares the LORD,
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel." (Isaiah
Chapter 41, verses 9 thru 14)
'But now, this is what the LORD says--he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you
are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and
when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When
you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set
you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your
Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.
Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I
will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your
life. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children
from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north,
'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring my sons
from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth--everyone who is
called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and
made."' (Isaiah Chapter 43, verses 1 thru
6)
Conclusion
Pray that God will so work in your life that by His power you
will demonstrate the fruit of gentleness.
Bible verses referenced in this
presentation
are from the following translation:
New International Version
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