Gentleness

What does it mean to be gentle?  To be honest we struggled to define gentleness, is it a demeanor?  Is it a degree of action?  Is it just like kindness?  We concluded that it is the way in which one behaves; rooted in positive intentions.  When we look at the story of Nabal and Abigail we see a woman filled with gentleness.

Nabal was approached by King David’s men who were asking for food in gratitude for keeping Nabal’s men safe.  Nabal replied harshly, and stated that he would not favor their request and that for him to do so would be absurd.  David became furious and threatened his own life if he failed to punish Nabal for this mistreatment.   Abigail heard of the news from a servant and acted immediately.  She gathered food and wine and went to David to beg for forgiveness for her husband’s actions in an attempt to save her family.  The next words she uttered showed respect for David, compassion for her husband and honor to God.  David accepted her apology and granted her request.  Her next actions further displayed the extent of her gentleness.  She returned home and found her husband feasting like a king.  He was high in spirits and very drunk.  Rather than chastising him there, she chose to act in gentleness.  Abigail waited until the next morning to tell Nabal what had happened.

What we can glean from the story of Nabal and Abigail is that gentleness requires compassion, kindness and humility.  Gentleness and the accompanying characteristic are not possible without a daily outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  Gentleness reflects a transformed mind and attitude.  It is a consistent response that seeks a peaceful and positive solution to what is happening around you.  Gentleness is a powerful weapon in diffusing negative or difficult situations.

God uses gentleness in a powerful way to draw us to him.  God gave Nabal 10 days to repent for his sinful and foolish ways.  Nabal’s failure to do so caused his demise.  When we think of our own sinful ways it is comforting to see how God’s gentleness is always evident.  It is reflected in how He tailors our experiences to teach us.  God’s persistence in drawing us closer to Him and the versatility of his measures exhibits His gentleness.  Gentleness in our actions portrays the depth and extent of God’s endless love. 

To being wise,

Meredith, Jennifer and Marisa

Kindness

Being truly kind is usually not convenient.  We are often tested with an opportunity to be kind at the busiest or most inopportune times in our lives.  If you heard about a classmate who was filing for bankruptcy, what would you do?  Would you go out of your way to do all that you could?  Would you do anything at all or would you gossip about it?  What about a church member?  If you heard that a church member was desperately in need of help with their children, would you offer your time or your resources?  What if you were driving through a dodgy part of town and saw someone being beat up and left for dead in the gutter?  Would you stop?  Would you get out of your car, put yourself in danger and help that person?  WHAT WOULD YOU DO?!

A certain lawyer asked Jesus “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”, in response, Jesus asked “What is written in the law and what is your reading of it?”, the lawyer replied “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself.”  Jesus said “You answered rightly”, but the lawyer said “Who is my neighbor?”   It is here that Jesus begins to tell the parable of the Good Samaritan (please refer to Luke 10:30 – 36).

There are three things that stand out to us in this parable.  1) The kindness of the Samaritan, 2) the kindness of the innkeeper and 3) the charge that was left to us by Christ.

1)      The Samaritan.  The half-dead man was seen by three different men.  It is important to note that the man was a Jew and appeared to be dead, which according to the law deemed him unclean to touch.  A priest sees the man and assumes, without looking, that he is dead.  He crosses the road to pass the man by.  A Levite sees the man, looks him over and without close investigation, assumes he is dead and passes him by.  However, when a Samaritan sees the man, in spite of the danger, the difference of their ethnicities and his own limited resources, he stops.  The Samaritan stops, looks and investigates, he does what the victim’s own people would not do.  He had rationed out oil and wine for his journey and yet he used his provisions and camel to tend to the half-dead man’s wounds and transport him to safety. 

 

2)      The Innkeeper.  The Innkeeper shows another form of kindness.  The Samaritan leaves the half-dead man after one day and leaves two Denarii (roughly 28 days’ worth of money, think of it as 28 days of hotel fees or around $2800).  The Samaritan trusted the Innkeeper to care for the man until he returned and expected him to pay for any additional expenses.  This Innkeeper used all his resources, time and effort to heal this man.

 

3)      Our Charge.  Likewise, we are called to be Innkeepers.  Like the Innkeeper, Jesus has given us Denarii in the form of time, homes, money, talents, spiritual gifts, etc. to be used in service to others.  As the Samaritan brought the half-dead man to the Innkeeper, Jesus will present individuals in need at our doorstep.  Can we be trusted?  Will we use all of our resources to help?  Or will we be too inconvenienced or too preoccupied to stop, look and investigate.

 

When we live our lives filled with kindness, these acts draw the attention of others to the abnormality of the situation.  Kindness is not a normal human attribute, we are conditioned to pay only what we owe and give only what is required.  God does not operate that way, He gives us far more than we deserve.  His loving kindness bestowed upon us through endless grace is the source of our ability to be kind.  Kindness reveals the full countenance of God within us and imparts His favor.

To being wise,

Meredith, Jennifer and Marisa

Peace

In our last post we spoke about joy being the evidence of trust in God. If joy was a pill, than peace would be the effect. You cannot have one without the other.

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”. Philippians 4:6 – 7 (KJV)


What we see here is a three-fold process. Joy brings forth peace, but both are bound through constant communication with Christ. In the case of Stephen, he was wrongly accused of speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God. When questioned, Stephen gave a speech which revealed a strong conviction in Christ. His response caused the people to be furious and stone him to death. Before Stephen was stoned, he looked up to God and asked for the forgiveness of his accusers. He did not fight back, or declare vengeance upon them. He was totally at peace with his fate. Such resolve did not come from regular church attendance, praying over meals or periodic scripture reading. Rather, this was a result of his consistent, intimate friendship with the Lord.


You cannot have peace if you are constantly robbing God of His supreme position. The control belongs to Him. Peace comes with the understanding that only God reigns over your life.


“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord”. Isaiah 55:8 (NASB)


Once you relinquish control, then everything that enters your life you give to God to handle. You do not have to be concerned for your well-being because you know there is One greater who has your best interest at heart. In other words, peace is not fighting your own battles, but being still and allowing God to work. Peace is the devil’s kryptonite (follow us on another tangent). We all know that Superman has the best powers, but even he has a weakness. Kryptonite paralyzes Superman. It may seem sometimes that the devil has so much power, but he has a weakness too. The devil’s weakness is our peace, which is our total trust in God.


Faith is the source of joy and joy is the source of peace. Faith comes from hearing and hearing comes from the word of God.


“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well”. Matthew 6:25 – 27 & 33 (NIV)



To being wise,


Meredith, Jennifer and Marisa