“A Call For Gentleness” (Part One)

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

This week, I would like for us to think together about one of the more overlooked elements of the fruit of the Spirit, specifically found in Galatians 5:23. What is “gentleness”? And why is it so significant that it is included as a manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s working in our lives? We begin by understanding the terms.

Two main words and their derivatives are found in the New Testament (a total of 15 times) translated “gentle” or “gentleness”-

1. Praos/praotes- mildness of disposition, as in, “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,” Eph 4:2.
2. Epios/epieikes- patient, fairminded, affable, as in, “Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.” Phili 4:5.

“Let your gentleness be known to all men”—that is a surprise! We would expect that strength or ability or resources or some other thing would be what to promote—not gentleness. Gentleness is too soft, too weak. Yet, Paul says without question that it is a gentle spirit that is to be the hallmark of our character!

This is a vital element of Christian character, and a concept critical to our understanding of what it means to practice genuine Christlikeness.

Tomorrow, we will look at and break down a definition of gentleness to see its components.

One Response to ““A Call For Gentleness” (Part One)”

1. harold says:

   April 21, 2010 at 7:00 am

   I was waiting for the elevator in my hi rise in S Asia and the young man waiting with me whispered to me, “I am a Christian.” He was working for a family in the hi rise. So I asked him how he knew that I was a Christian. You do not make that statement to a stranger here. He said that it was because I spoke so kindly to everyone. I greet most of the people I meet, but I never realized what it meant to the poor working people here. God has been speaking to me about being gentle.