His Gentleness

"Your gentleness has made me great" (2 Samuel 22:36, Psalm 18:35).

There is only one place in the Bible where Jesus gives us a description of Himself: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29). Above all other equal excellences, Jesus is gentle. Herein is our faith, hope and love, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that He is affinity as well as infinity.

Throughout the Gospels we find Jesus meeting all in a tender spirit of concern and consideration. He asks us to be and to do the same: "Be completely humble and gentle..." (Ephesians 4:2); "Those who oppose him he must gently instruct" (2 Timothy 2:25); "Let your gentleness be evident to all" (Philippians 4:5); "But do this with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15).

We know that God is Creator and Judge but, when it comes to our daily living, we yearn to know Him as gentle and compassionate, above all other virtues. Our earth is made up of many elements, but the element of gentleness seems to have seeped to the bottom, right on through the mud of precipitation and insatiability. God does not want it so.

Jesus' greatest power was and is His graciousness; it was and is His eternal drawing card, His charisma, His presence. We cringe from those who would attack our character, even if it isn't all we know it could be. This is why we go to Jesus; we know He respects who and what we are, while He asks -- not demands -- that we know and love Him to our perfection. His gentleness is the spring from which we drink; it nourishes us to worthier thoughts and actions, and a nobler life for Him and His.