Humility And Gentleness - Jesus

“Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Matthew 11:29

Most people who met him found him a man of genuine humility and gentleness. They were awed by his demeanor and delighted with his disposition. They also noticed the deep affection in his children’s eyes for their father, and so they knew that he acted in private just as he did in public.

Who would have expected such a thing from one of the world’s most celebrated politicians? Yet that is what visitors experienced when they spent time at the home of antislavery crusader William Wilberforce.

Though Jesus never married or fathered children, he spent enough time with his apostles that they could see how genuinely humble and gentle he was. Jesus is the ultimate example of humility because he freely left heaven to take on human flesh so that he might save all who come to him in faith. In his absolute kindness, he never failed to reach out to those in need. He never struck back at those who did him harm but called on his Father to forgive them.

Never once did Jesus tell his disciples to do anything that he refused to do himself. He could expect them to be humble and gentle because that is what he was like.

Do people use the term humble to describe you? Do people look to you when they need a gentle word or action? Some men do not consider these to be strong qualities, so they do not try to embody them. To that degree, they fail to follow the example of Jesus Christ, the strongest man who ever lived.

In what area of life do you most struggle with humility? In what ways is it an effort to embody gentleness? What could you do this week to more closely follow Jesus in these areas?