Be Gentle

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matt. 11:29) When we consider who Jesus or God is, we sometimes make assumptions, which may be right or wrong. For instance, many assume God in the Old Testament is wrathful. They make this assumption without engaging the many texts in the Old Testament that show God’s mercy and grace for his people and others. Assumptions can be based on cultural images or influences. They can be things we have heard from family or at church. Not all assumptions are wrong, but we should get our answers from Scripture when considering significant questions.

We don’t have to look hard to discover who Jesus is. In our Bibles, we have four accounts of his life, called the Gospels. We can see how Jesus interacted with others and read about what he said and did. How did he spend his time? What were his interests? How did he speak to people? Studying these accounts helps us understand Jesus, but there are even more direct ways of knowing who he is. He tells us. This happens more than once. In one famous passage from Matthew 11, he describes himself as gentle. Who is Jesus? He is gentle.

When thinking about Jesus, gentle is probably not the first word that comes to most people’s minds, but it is true. Jesus not only tells us he is gentle, but we see him live this out in his life. He often deals with people gently. He shows compassion and mercy for people on the margins of society. He makes time for children and others who are frequently overlooked. He touches people you are not supposed to touch. He is gentle.

Gentleness is not just for Jesus; it is also for us. It is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:23). If we lack gentleness, we are not being who God wants us to be. We are commanded to be gentle when dealing with unbelievers (1 Pet. 3:15). Those outside the faith are to see Jesus in us. They are to come to know the gentleness of Jesus through how we engage them. We live in a world that is anything but gentle. It can be unkind, vulgar, rude, lacking in grace, and harsh. People in the world expect to receive this type of behavior in return. What a surprise when they receive a gentle answer or a gentle response from a follower of Jesus. They get a glimpse of something unusual, which might prompt them to reflect on their own lives and wonder whether there’s a better way.

May we be as gentle with others as Jesus has been with us.