Philippians 4:4 – 5
“Rejoice in the Lord always.
I will say it again: Rejoice!
Let your gentleness be
Evident to all. The
Lord is near.”
If you asked people what they thought the word gentleness meant, we’d probably hear that a gentle person is docile, easily intimidated or passive. In our culture, assertiveness and forthrightness are more highly valued personality traits than gentleness.
But, the scriptures value gentleness. Here Paul explains what it means to be virtuous, especially in view of the disputes that had arisen among the Philippians. How were they to build unity? First they were to rejoice. If they concentrated on rejoicing in the risen Christ, they would focus on their common joy rather than on their differences that could divide them. Next, they were to “let (their) gentleness be evident to all.” Gentleness carries the idea of being reasonable. It does not mean that truth is compromised; rather, it means that the truth is defended with thoughtful consideration for the other’s point of view. There is a winsome quality in gentleness that diffuses anger and hostility.
In the worlds eyes, especially in the business world, gentleness is often thought of as wimpy, but God says, “The unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.....is of great worth in God’s sight.”
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