Let’s Call It Gentleness

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve . . . and today we’re zooming in on the second-to-last fruit of the Spirit and how it relates to Christmas.

This fruit is one we sometimes wish we could skip over – or at least agree mentally but ignore it in our lives. Yet without this fruit, our Spirit-filled living falls short. The Lord our God is One, and as we live in His kingdom, His Spirit works all aspects of who He is in our lives.

This fruit is, in essence, humility. Sometimes it’s rendered meekness, sometimes gentleness.

Yet gentleness in today’s culture has a very different meaning than either of the other two words. Gentleness implies more to do with the way we treat others – more like kindness mixed with a lot of tenderness and care. Meekness and humility, on the other hand, both center more upon our view of ourselves and acting in accordance with that view. Yes, they go hand in hand; if you’re humble, you’ll be gentle – but there’s more to it than just that.

In a way, calling it “gentleness” only tones down the “ouch”-factor of this fruit by making it more palatable to our flesh and our pride.

Instead of looking to the world’s definitions, however, let’s look to Jesus Christ, our example, and the ultimate person of humility.

He took upon Him the form of a servant . . . He was made in the likeness of men . . . He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. He is meek and lowly in heart. He gently leads His sheep.

And in utter humility, He – the fullness of God – contained Himself in a helpless human body. The greatest became the least.

This brings a new and humbling perspective on the familiar carol.

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head;
The stars in the heavens looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes.
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

Take some time right now to meditate upon the Lord of all heaven and earth, the one who made the universe and everything in it – asleep in a manger – an animal feed trough. He was born in a borrowed stable to a couple who weren’t important as far as the social ladder went. From the moment of birth, He faced a life of temptation, sadness, pain, and sorrow unlike anything in heaven. Yet He willingly embraced all this – everything – because it was His Father’s will. And His Father loved us.

Meditate on that!

~~~

Then quietly pray the prayer of the third verse asking for intimacy with Him and His great humility for this moment and for eternity.

Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care;
And fit us for heaven, to live with Thee there.

Come back tomorrow for Not-So-Silent Night.

Find the rest of today’s Twelve Days of Christmas party posts here. 

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