Gentleness

From superficial appearances, one of my friends has it all.  They have enough money for a very comfortable life; they have a beautiful home, drive new cars, dine at nice restaurants regularly, travel frequently, entertain often and well, and have many friends and family that they spend a lot of time with.  The cracks in their "perfect" life were only visible if you were close enough to see the day to day struggles, which were fierce.  Looks can be so deceiving.

On one occasion, I don't recall what prompted it, but I imagine things had been particularly rough that day, my friend gave me one of the greatest compliments I will ever receive.  She told me that one thing she really appreciated about me is that I never judged her, even when so many others did.  She continued, "I feel like I can tell you anything, and you never criticize me, you just love me.  I don't know what I would do without you."

Wow.  What a testament to the importance of gentleness in the faith journey.  Because that is at the heart of what she was saying.  She wasn't implying I have no opinions - I do, and she knows it.  She wasn't saying that I didn't sometimes advise or suggest - because I trouble shot ideas with her a lot, and sometimes she went a different way than I would have chosen.  She wasn't looking for someone to agree with her 100% of the time, because that would have been false, and she didn't need that from me.  She was looking for someone to see her heart and know, truly know, that she was doing the best she could under extremely difficult circumstances, and to be supported and uplifted, regardless of whether she was doing well or otherwise.

In Psalm 18:35 we read:

You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand has supported me; your gentleness has made me great.

I have never forgotten my friend's incredibly powerful words.  They changed my heart, and gave me a new understanding of how to live the Word.  Like David, we are all seeking solace and comfort when we feel the world is against us.  With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can show the powerful love of God through our gentle response to those who seek us out.

Actions speak louder than words is not just a cliché, it is a simple truth.  Living the fruits of the Spirit are not about gaining glory in this world for ourselves, but rather, living in such a way that we glorify God.  When we do that, we change lives, not just for the here and now, but for all eternity.