Jump Start # 3642

Philippians 4:5 “Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.”

I have come to really like this passage. I have known some gentle brethren. They are kind and thoughtful. The way they correct is a showcase of patience and love. Others word this expression, ‘let your gentle spirit be known to all men’ as:

• Let your reasonableness be known to everyone (ESV)
• Have a reputation for gentleness (Phillips)
• Let your graciousness be known to everyone (CSB)

Now, just how does one accomplish this? How do you let your gentle spirit be known to all? How do others know this about us? One could tell everyone, but in doing so, he has just lost humility and many wouldn’t believe him. The best way, is simple to treat everyone gently. I guess the reason why I like this is that I want to be more like that. There are times when I’m ready to enter a conversation with guns blazing. I can get my point across that way, but I have also made a mess of things. Gentle spirit is the way to go.

Here are some things to consider:

First, be gentle in your words. This covers both the choice of your words and the tone of your words. Be thoughtful. James tells us to be slow to speak. In that slowness, we are thinking, listening, praying. I was watching the table tennis matches in the recent Olympics. I grew up calling that ping pong. It is amazing how fast that ball flies across the table. As soon as one serves, the other is ready to hit it back. That works great in that sport, but no so great in conversations. Firing words back rapidly, doesn’t allow much time for things to sink in, reflect and consider. Much too often we are more interested in defending our position, our selves than helping someone out. A gentle person listens. A gentle person is kind in his words and kind with his words.

There is a huge difference between sandpaper and a soft blanket. Make sure you don’t apply sandpaper to others. A gentle spirit comforts, encourages and helps. A gentle spirit allows for conversations and differences to be expressed. A gentle spirit is concerned about the outcome and consequences.

Second, one who is gentle will attract people. You want to talk to a gentle person. He’s kind. He’s helpful. Jesus was this way. This is why people couldn’t stay away from Him. Had He spoken harshly, people would have fled in fear. Shepherds and parents especially need to be gentle. Feelings are tender. Some have great ideas that just need to be channeled in a better direction. A quick “no,” shuts down communication and stifles ideas and suggestions. Gentle in how you treat others. Be the person that people want to go to. Let your gentle spirit be known. In time, others will tell others about you. You can talk to him, he’ll listen. You can take your question to him, he’ll be honest and fair. That’s how the gentle spirit becomes known.

Some folks are like hugging a porcupine. It’s going to hurt and sometimes it’s going to hurt a lot.

Being gentle doesn’t mean you are a push-over. It doesn’t mean being soft on doctrine. It doesn’t mean you can’t draw a line in the sand. One can be gentle and yet bold. It’s not a choice between the two. Correcting with gentleness is what Paul wanted the preacher Timothy to do. The Galatians were to restore with gentleness. Peter wrote that we are to be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks about our hope. But we are to do this in the spirit of gentleness.

Name-calling, insulting and getting ugly ought not to be in the arsenal of a Christian.

Third, we must remember that God has been gentle with us. His word. His grace. His patience. His love. It’s hard to be rough with someone else when we remember how gentle the Lord has been with us. It took some of us a long time to get with the Lord. Others have bounced in and out of the world, been back and forth, so many times, yet, there is the Lord, looking for us, waiting for us, being kind with us.

Some names bring the image of an athlete or a politician or an actor. Your name ought to bring the picture of a gentle person. That’s what the Lord wants you to be.

Roger

Jump Start # 3237

Philippians 4:5 “Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.”

The other day while I was out and about I saw a bumper sticker on the back of a minivan. It looked like a mom driving the van. The sticker said, “Raising wolves, not sheep.” I don’t think that message implied animals. It was a statement about how she was raising her children, not sheep, but wolves.

When I first saw that, I expected what was meant was that the kids were not followers of the crowd. They were to think for themselves. That sounded good to me until I saw the other bumper sticker on her van. It said, “I love my ungrateful, rude kids.” What a statement!

The Bible doesn’t have much good to say about wolves. Jesus connects wolves with false teaching. Wolves attack and kill sheep. Wolves are not about community, connections or making things better. Wolves are dangerous, vicious, and a threat.

Raising wolves, rather than sheep, is not something to brag about. And, throughout the N.T. tender-hearted and gentleness are the qualities that God is looking for in His people. We are to correct, but with gentleness. The gentle heart is one of the fruits of the Spirit. Rough, tough, walking on others, intimidating others is not what attracts. Those things drive people away. It makes people fearful.

Confidence and assurance is how one talks through this life while being a sheep. Our trust is in the Lord. And, our verse brings out two wonderful concepts:

First, we ought to be known as gentle. Our gentle spirit is to be known by all men. People ought to be able to talk to us without being afraid. In some homes, this is missing. In some churches, this is missing. In many places of work this is missing. Kindness, helpfulness, encouraging, those are the spirits that will make a difference.

To do this, one must listen. One must control his spirit. Outbursts of anger scares people. It will force people to say only want you want to hear. They will in silence go along, even though they do not believe it’s the right direction, but they don’t want to get chewed out. When the gentle spirit is missing, we create a monster. A real bully develops. Pressure, guilt and shame become the tools of the bully. No one likes to be bullied. No one likes to be around a bully. It doesn’t matter whether that bully walks the hallways of a school, is a next door neighbor, a co-worker, or even a member in the church, bullies intimidate and take advantage of others.

God wants us to be gentle. Gentle when one suggests a different way. Gentle when one asks for proof. Gentle when one is corrected. Gentle. And, what causes us to be gentle is remembering the golden rule. How would you like to be treated? I’ve seen some humiliated and crushed by the aggressive, bully spirit of others.

Wolves or lambs—which are you raising? Which one does the Lord want you to raise?

Second, our passage states, the Lord is near. What a sweet reminder. He’s not gone. He’s not out of reach. He’s not so far away that He cannot see or cannot help. The Lord is near. Right next door, might be a good understanding. And, this ought to lead us to being gentle. God is near. He sees. He knows. Stop mistreating people. Stop hurting others. God is near.

But, more than that, God is near to help. When we are troubled and need to talk to someone, it may be hard to find that gentle spirit. People are busy. People have their own problems. And, we sink into loneliness and despair thinking no one can help us. We begin to believe that we are on our own. But remember, the Lord is near.

The Psalmist tells us that the Lord is near to the broken hearted. Those that are contrite in heart, God notices. God is near to help. God is near to understand. God is near to make a difference.

Sadly, our times have defined a “real man” as someone who takes matters into his own hands and ignores others. He obeys the laws that are convenient to him. When they are not, he breaks those laws. Fearless. Tough. Showing no weakness. Never admitting mistakes. Those qualities may make for a Hollywood movie filled with bullets and bombs, but it doesn’t work with the Lord. Jesus defined Himself as “gentle and humble in heart.” The Lord who could open the earth, part the seas, cause the sun to stand still, stop storms and make demons flee, was far from a weakling. He was power under control. He could have sent those nails holding Him on the cross, flying across the city. He could have brought dozens of angels. His power was manifested through compassion. His strength was in helping the helpless.

Dare anyone call Jesus a sissy? Dare anyone claim that Jesus was weak? Does anyone think Jesus was a pushover? Do the Scriptures show Jesus being intimidated? Not by the Pharisees. Not by the Romans. Not by Pilate. Not by the demons. Not by anyone or anything. Strength under control. Gentle and humble in heart was the Lord. Should we be any different?

Raising sheep isn’t such a bad thing. I tend to think that it’s the Lord’s way.

Roger