Oh, what a call for us from our Lord, a call so difficult and a call so few will take care to heed. For some, gentleness is a sign of weakness. Many think that being gentle allows us to be pushed around, or even be taken advantage of. Being demanding, assertive, forceful, and frank, now that gets us what we want. Others think gentleness is a nuisance and reeks of hypocrisy. Why be gentle and patient with someone when I feel really angry and irritated inside me. Wouldn't it be better to express how I truly feel instead of keeping it to my self? Sometimes we find ourselves being truly gentle, yet only to a select few people in our company - people we love, people we benefit from. Yet despite the call within our culture that labels gentleness as a bane, let us instead take heed this call from the Lord about gentleness.

First, it is the Lord's call that we be gentle, not the culture's call. "Let your gentleness be known" says our Lord, our master, and our judge. The culture around us may label us as weak and call us names for choosing to be meek and gentle, but it has no authority to determine the consequence of our choice, only God does. The culture can tell you not be gentle, yet it cannot prevent the judgment and consequence that will befall you should you make that choice. The Lord, on the other hand, can call you to be gentle, and He has the power and authority to affect in your life the consequence of your gentleness.

Second, it is our Lord's call to be gentle before all. Admittedly there are particular situations and persons which we find it difficult to be gentle with. It is easier to express gentleness to a person who loves you and is kind to you. Yet, for one who persecutes you, mocks you, speaks evil of you, ignores you, rude against you - oh isn't it such a burden to be gentle towards him or her? Difficult as it may be, the Lord still calls us to be gentle to all - including those we find difficult to be gentle with. In times we hesitate to do so, think back of how our Lord has been kind to you, even if we have been rude of Him or ignorant of Him.

Third, it is our Lord's call that we be gentle for He is coming soon. The Lord is at hand, the passage says. Some will ask, why then should i be gentle when He is coming again? Would it matter, since I am saved? Yet, the fruit of one who genuinely abides in our Lord is one who loves his brother. Gentleness is a genuine expression of such love. Our Lord has said, how can you say you are my disciple, unless you love one another? Oh, the Lord is at hand indeed. He is coming soon - when He does, will you be found bearing the fruit of the Spirit, gentleness? Will you be found bearing the fruit which abiding in Christ produces? Oh, may it be not so, that when our Master has final come, that we be found declaring, crying out, that we believe Him, yet in reality practicing lawlessness. For our Master has indeed reserve for such hypocrites the damning words, "I never knew you, depart from me, you workers of lawlessness."

During this pandemic, have you been producing gentleness as a disciple of Christ? To whom have you been gentle recently? To whom have you neglected being gentle? Oh for the grace of Christ to sanctify our hearts and minds - that we may be humble and gentle towards those whom God has placed before us, whether it be princes or paupers.