Meditations on the Fruit of the Spirit - Gentleness

I’m abundantly blessed with five lovely granddaughters, and each of them has gone through the phase where they are obsessed with horses.  I raised three boys and none of them ever seemed to be interested, so maybe it’s a girl thing. I’ve been with them at farms and fairgrounds when they get their chance to ride a horse, and they are enchanted.  It’s fascinating that tiny girls are so comfortable with these huge, strong animals.  Horses have great power and strength, and of course, must be monitored closely, but they choose to be gentle and willing and to enter into a relationship with a trusting little girl.

Since, admittedly, I didn’t go through a “horse” phase, I searched around the internet a bit looking into the phenomenon of this ironic relationship.  I came on the following statement, that I found interesting and foundational to our meditation on the fruit of gentleness: 

“A horse that is under control—choosing to be cooperative rather than wild—illustrates how true strength includes self-control, humility, and care for others. It’s not just about what you can do, but how you choose to use that strength.”

The word for gentleness can also be translated as “meekness.”  In our modern, Western minds, we have a few instances where we consider gentleness to be an asset, such as a mother to her child, or a caregiver to the aged. Yet, by and large, gentleness, and certainly meekness, are not widely admired in our culture.  Too often they are associated with weakness.  

Our Lord thought otherwise.  In Matthew 5:5, in the beatitudes, which show a contrast between spiritual and worldly thinking, He says, “Blessed are the gentle, (or “humble” or “meek”) for they shall inherit the earth.” If you’ve ever been to, or seen a video of a Black Friday sale, in our world, the meek don’t get the discount televisions. It’s “every man for himself”, in an “end justifies the means” kind of roughness to gain the prize. In contrast, Jesus sees power in gentleness; He sees virtue in humility and reward in meekness.

Learning to be gentle begins with Christ, who invites us to Himself in Matthew 11:29: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jesus took time from teaching, healing, and refuting unbelief to gently bring children into His arms and use them as an example of a Kingdom citizen. He turned over the money tables of greedy men in the House of God but stopped to consider and console the woman who was healed by the touch of his garment. He is the mighty King, who entered the Holy City, “humble and mounted on a donkey” (Matt. 21:5).  So Paul, in defending Himself to the Corinthians, calls on the meekness and gentleness of Christ, in his entreaty to hear him out (1 Cor 10:1). 

Acting with gentleness is a command in New Testament teaching. Yes, teachers of the Word are commanded to be bold, to exhort and reprove. They are also told that “…the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.”  The reason why is presented in the next sentence: “God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by Him to do His will” (2 Tim 2:24-26). The power to save souls lies both in the boldness to speak the truth and the willingness to do so with meekness and humility.

Elders in the Lord’s church are to be both gentle and able to defend the Word. The word “shepherd” which describes their role implies a gentle, selfless care, once again best illustrated by Jesus. The following excerpts are from Isaiah 40:9-11, describing our glorious God coming with power. Note how gentleness is inherent to His victory: 

“Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news;

…“Behold your God!” Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might,

… He will tend His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs in His arms; 

He will carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.”

As usual, I prepared for this study with a word search for the words gentle and gentleness. My realization this month was the emphasis on gentleness, not just with each other, as fellow believers, but with the world and our adversaries. The world is watching us, and Paul says they should see our gentleness: “Let your gentle spirit be known to all men” (Phil 4:5). Wives may be able to win over unbelieving husbands by their behavior, “the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God” (1 Peter 3:4). 

Incredibly, this gentleness is to be shown to our persecutors as well: 

“And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify 

Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense 

to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, 

yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that

in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior

in Christ will be put to shame” (1 Peter 3:14-16).

Shouldn’t I resist and revolt against these wicked oppressors? I’m in the right! I have the truth!  Peter’s point here is to be able to remain strong under true persecution.  A time when the oppressor stands to take anything and everything from me, I don’t fear and I don’t fight because I believe that no one can take from me the thing I hold most dear - my faith and confidence in Christ. He may take my goods, my power, even my life - but not my adoption as a child of God and not my salvation. So I give my answer with reverence and gentleness. I defend Christ as Lord but let Him fight the battle. 

“He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth” ( Is 53:7).

Returning to our illustration of horses, the word meek in the original Greek ("praus") was often used to describe a tamed horse — still powerful, but under control and willing to be guided. The powerful can choose to be gentle.  But there is also power in gentleness. “A gentle answer turns away wrath, A soothing tongue is a tree of life (Prov 15:1,4). God showed Himself to Elijah, not in the wind, not in the earthquake, but in the sound of a low whisper (I Kings 19:11-12).

The fruit of gentleness can only grow in me if I desire it, if I nourish it, and if I prune away self-will and submit to the will of God.

Moses, the great leader and prophet, who contended with a mighty Pharaoh and a nation of rebellious Israelites, is described this way: “Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth” (Num 12:3). In Deuteronomy 32:2, he is addressing the Israelites just before they enter the Promised Land.  It’s a place he will not go, his life is coming to an end. His words and the picture they paint inspire me to see the power in gentleness:  “Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, as the droplets on the fresh grass and as the showers on the herb.”