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Gentleness, so sadly lacking in this world, should be evident in the life of a Christian. What is gentleness, and how can it be a part of your life?
by Noel Hornor
love those dear hearts and gentle people who live in my home town. Because those dear hearts and gentle people will never, ever let you down." The words of this song, written 47 years ago by Bob Hilliard, call to mind a time when the world was (at least in our collective memory) a more neighborly place. Do you sometimes find yourself wishing for those times? Do you yearn for a return to civility?
Author Robert Fulghum addressed the problem of a general lack of courtesy and politeness this way: "All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten . . . Share everything. Play fair. Don't hit people . . . Say you're sorry when you hit somebody" (All I Really Need to Know I Learned In Kindergarten, Villard Books, New York, 1989, p. 6). The author then mentioned that the world would be a better place if everyone, including the leaders of governments, lived by these basic principles.
This sandbox wisdom happens to be in agreement with the Bible. It can be described with one word from the Book of Books. That word is gentleness.
Gentleness - mildness of manners or disposition - is too often lacking in our world. Gentleness-not to be confused with weakness or a lack of resolve - is a trait of character we all could use more of.
Gentleness doesn't come naturally. Gentleness is something Christians must learn. It is a trait that is godly, and as His children God expects us to become gentle, as He is.
Becoming gentle is not easy. Sometimes gentleness comes with great difficulty and through harrowing circumstances.
How Elijah learned
An example of learning gentleness the hard way is the life of Elijah. This man of God - the quintessential Old Testament prophet - boldly denounced sin. He exuded courage, seeming to fear no one. On one occasion he called fire down from heaven in a magnificent display of his (and God's) disapproval of lawlessness.
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