Reflection on the Fruit of Gentleness
What does Paul mean by “gentleness”? We all want to be more loving, faithful, and joyful people, but what about being more gentle? Rarely do search committees look for pastoral candi- dates who are characterized by a spirit of gentleness. Interviewers do not press their interviewees to display more meekness. We want leaders that are courageous, self-confident, and creative. Why is it that gentleness is not in higher demand?
I think that many of us associate gentleness with being weak. A small kitten may well be gen- tle with everything it touches, but could it be anything else? Paul is talking about gentleness as a virtue, not as an inevitable condition. Gentleness is not the same as being passive. Someone who is fearful of doing the right thing is being a coward, not expressing the fruit of gentleness. That old fable about a lion that showed mercy to a mouse illustrates to us what gentleness means. Ex- ercising the virtue of gentleness implies restraint. The lion could have crushed the mouse, but he didn’t. Gentleness and mercy go hand in hand.
Jesus Christ is the quintessential Spirit-filled man (Isaiah 11:2), so he had the fruit of the Spir- it in full measure. As he walked on the earth, Jesus described himself as “gentle and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29). Paul spoke of the “meekness and gentleness of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:1). Jesus was King, the Lion of Judah. Yet it was through his humble service on Earth that Christ was finally exalted in triumph at the resurrection and ascension. Gentleness characterized Christ during his challenging mission on earth.
It shouldn’t surprise us, then, that when the biblical writers called on the church to exercise Christ-like gentleness, conflict was almost always the context of their call. For instance, Paul in- structed young Timothy to fight the good fight of faith by pursuing gentleness (1 Timothy 6:11). Elsewhere in Scripture, Peter encouraged Christians to “make a defense” to anyone who ques- tioned the reasonableness of their faith with a spirit of gentleness (1 Peter 3:15). Just as Christ exhibited gentleness during the supreme act of redemptive mercy on the cross, likewise Chris- tians are to display mercy-filled gentleness under pressure.
When you are in a fight with your husband and you have the ability to crush him, gentleness is your Christian duty. When your daughter has been foolish and you rightly deliver a rebuke, gentleness is your Christian duty. At this moment, the church is divided over how it should re- spond to this outbreak of COVID19. Should the church remain virtual until the authorities and medical community deem large gatherings safe? Is it ever appropriate for churches to disobey regulations or recommendations on an issue like this, when persecution isn’t the real issue? There are so many questions, and none of them are easy to answer. Yet, when the opinions of brothers and sisters in Christ diverge on important social matters, gentleness remains our Christian duty.