Lean In

Lean In

You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

Karen’s small group gathers weekly with their pastor to discuss a wide range of faith topics. She loves this group—made up mostly of fellow retirees—and the thoughtful, carefully considered conversations that take place among people who have lived a lot of life and who have had time to let their thoughts marinate before they speak them aloud.

Of particular delight is Millie, an older woman with Parkinson’s who, because of her disease, can speak no louder than a whisper. Millie is quiet but deeply contemplative, and when she chooses to speak, everyone in their group leans in close to hear what she might say.

I love that image of collectively leaning in, of drawing close to listen to whispered words of wisdom—words many would rush past on the way to hear someone whose exterior dazzles with youth, beauty, wealth, or power. How often do we choose glamour over wisdom, brash over gentle, boisterous over quiet? Our culture certainly gravitates toward the loudest among us and tends to drag us in that direction by default.

Scripture teaches us that true beauty is inward, that a gentle spirit holds more lasting beauty than the physical characteristics that disappear with age. Some of my dearest friends are quieter and gentler than me. They bring a depth and contemplation into my life that other friends tend to lack by nature of their louder personalities. I find myself seeking out their advice, wanting to hear from someone who views the world through a more introspective lens. There is something inviting and spiritually refreshing about gentleness, and I find myself both drawn to it and trying to emulate it more often in my own life. It is when we intentionally speak less, so that we can focus on listening, that we find wisdom.

— Julie

— Today’s Act of Friendship —

Look for a quieter, introspective woman in your circles and invite her out for coffee.