Vol. 21 No. 52 | December 30, 2019
Gentleness
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. (Philippians 4:5, NIV)
Gentleness. The word keeps nudging its way into my thoughts, stirring up a longing for more.
Maybe it is the lack of gentleness conveyed in the news and on social media that makes me long for more, or the politicians and leaders who have forgotten that gentle responses are even an option or the people who tout religious values but contradict the spirit of gentleness that the Lord prefers.
“Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced.” (James 3:17, The Message)
Or perhaps it’s the examples of gentleness I do see and hear that makes me want to experience and exhibit more:
The dad who takes time to listen to the story his daughter’s trying to tell him; the son who helps his dad walk from the car to the restaurant; the mom who comforts her little one in her arms after she’s fallen; the daughter who responds gently to her mother’s harsh criticism, knowing her grandmother never did the same.
Whatever the reason, I have a growing desire to see and hear more gentleness, speak and respond more gently, and live with more gentleness in the coming year.
May you be blessed with and share more gentleness as a reminder that the Lord is near.
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A Norvell Note © Copyright 2019 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved