“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!“
Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
Gentleness, another noun in the fruits of the Spirit, is emulated in our disposition and demeanor if we allow it. It should be covered in our speech and in all the ways we interact with one another. But that’s not always the case, is it? Our words can be laced with judgment, cynicism, and hatred, but as Christians, we’re called to a much higher standard. We’re commanded to love one another and we can’t do that if the words we use are not first and foremost gentle and sincere.
The definition of gentleness in the Cambridge English Dictionary is defined as “the quality of being calm, kind, or soft”. While kindness is a more broad term in the works that we do, gentleness is how our attitude and mannerisms should be in everything we do and say. When we want to encourage or uplift one another we don’t speak harshly or abruptly with them, we approach with a calm tone and gentle spirit to reach them in love.
In Colossians 3:12 of the NIV it reads, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience”. And then in 1 Peter 3:14-16 it speaks of how we should be towards others who ask us about our faith. Verses 15-16 of the NLT states, “Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ”. When others look at us as Christians, they should see Christ reflected in every aspect of our being. By having a gentle spirit with others, it draws them in and leaves them wanting to know more about this God that we speak of.
We’re always taught to think before we speak in order that we may speak in a loving manner. Let’s go even deeper and make sure our words are gentle, calm, and humble, emulating Christ in all that we say and do. You never know what kind of impact you can make on someone just by taking the extra time to ensure our words and actions are covered in gentleness.
