| Proverbs 15:1 – “A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.” |
In the apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Colossee, he tells them that they must rid themselves of the life they once lived with its sinful ways and replace them with clothing that befits God’s chosen people. One item in their new spiritual wardrobe is gentleness, or meekness. In his first letter to Timothy, among the qualities for selecting elders, Paul instructs him to find men who are gentle, not quarrelsome. The attribute of gentleness is one that Jesus used about himself, as in Matthew 11:29. In Proverbs 15:1, we are taught that “a gentle answer turns away wrath.” Some see gentleness, or meekness, as timidity or weakness, but just as a spirited horse must be trained to control its nature and learn to obey the rider’s commands, we must be willing to learn to control our own will so that we’re not seen as argumentative or easily angered. Gentleness is strength under control. In the Proverbs reference, we are reminded that a “harsh word stirs up anger.” We need to be those who can disagree without being disagreeable. Wise parents can certainly set a good example of gentleness when training their children to obey the rules, beginning at home. Also, when we converse with people whose firm beliefs or views differ from our own, rather than becoming angry or defensive, we need to be able to disagree respectfully so that the door can be left open to any future conversations.
Must we always use gentleness with those we disagree with? There are exceptions to every rule. We read passages where Jesus came in strong conflict with the established religious leaders who denied His claims to be the Son of God, despite clear evidence of His being the promised Messiah. Paul, the apostle had occasion to speak forcefully against Christians who were using the gospel for their own selfish purposes. In Ephesians 6, he described the gospel armor which we need to fight Satan’s lies. Every day, we have opportunities to show gentleness, regardless of the setting. May we remember to include all of the items in our Christian wardrobe as each day unfolds.
- Diane Hiett
