Gentleness

Failure by a Christian to show gentleness is often something that a non-Christian will remember and prejudice them against the faith. Some churches can manifest a competitive spirit where gentleness and a ‘light touch' are missing. This is not to say that Christians are to be door mats. Scripture has examples of where firmness and saying ‘no' is necessary. This is in the case of false teaching and sin. But the gospel should never be preached harshly and when, for example, confronting people with the reality of hell, we are ideally to do it with tears.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the perfect example of gentleness. He is gentle and sympathetic to those who ‘labour and are heavy laden'. He was stern to the Pharisees and the false religion of His day. But He was gentle to the ‘bruised reeds' and the 'smoking flaxes'. We too must aim at gentleness, in the family and in the church. In this regard, we must be careful about the words we speak.