The Strength Of Gentleness

He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. Isaiah 40:11

MY HUSBAND CAME over to the brown suede couch where our daughter was curled up. He gathered her in his arms, even though her posture and frown were telling him to go away. He held her, softened her, and whispered how much he loved her, how nothing she could do could make him love her less.

His gentleness and strength were interchangeable in this moment; they were the same.

My daughter had made a poor choice, had dug in her seven-year-old heels, and succumbed to her shame. She didn’t know how to get herself out of it. But her daddy did. He came by her side with gentleness, affection, strength—exactly what she needed.

Gentleness so often is seen as weakness. As if the person showing it lacks a backbone or strength. But it’s quite the opposite. As author Andy Mort says, “There is nothing strong about the person who is quick to lose [their] temper and resort to aggression and violence in their spirit, words, and action.”^a

It takes a strong person to be in control, to measure their words, to whisper rather than shout, to hug instead of stiff-arm, to accept weakness instead of despising it, to calmly tell a small child that she is forgiven and loved, instead of shaming her further with fiery loud words.

Oh, friend, I am so often bereft of gentleness. I’m quick to correct, to tell my children to pull up their bootstraps and keep going.

But what examples are we given from Jesus? Does He not shift the attention of a rioting crowd from an adulterous woman to His musings written in the sand? Does He not tell His disciples to stop blocking the children and let them come to Him? Does He not have one-on-one moments with women like Martha and Mary Magdalene in their struggles? Jesus gently defuses. He gently corrects. He gently defends.

And this is His strength. Gentleness looks like a measured response, not a misguided reaction. And the Spirit of God wants to bear that same fruit in us. The fruit of strength, affection, and opening up our hearts to accept and receive the weak.

Aren’t we, too, in need of gentle care, of holding, of leading, of directing? I am so grateful for the gentleness of our God. Who by His strength, bends down and listens to our joys, complaints, and prayers. May we be women who use our strength to measure our words, to model the gentleness of our Savior, and to accept the weak.

GRACE REFLECTION: When have you experienced gentleness? As you go through your day, ask God to give you eyes to see who needs that same gentleness.