Growing Together – Day 25: Gentleness
READ: Ephesians 6:12-20 - For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places…To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
2 Timothy 2:24-25 - And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.
“The Lion and the Shepherd are one and the same. Ferocious pursuit and unwavering compassion are dual facts of the tremendous Lover who knows not only what hurts us but also how to heal us…The Lion who will kill anything that separates us from Him; the Lamb who was killed to mend that separation – both are symbols and synonyms for Jesus. Relentlessness and tenderness: indivisible aspects of the Divine Reality.” (Brennan Manning, The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus)
REFLECT: Around RCC, we talk about standing (for the truth of Jesus) without pushing. We can see in these two passages that Paul also wrestled with this tension – Be bold, but correct opponents with gentleness. We hold both of these together. And, as Brennan Manning has beautifully written, our example in this is Jesus.
I think most of us feel a greater degree of comfort with one or the other side of this tension. I know for me, I feel much more comfortable being gentle than being bold. But, God calls us to both, He embodied both.
How can we grow in our gentleness, in our compassion and understanding, toward those around us – exemplifying the gentleness of God?
And, how can we grow in our boldness – pointing people to the Almighty Lion of Judah who is tenderly, but relentlessly stalking them?
THIS WEEKEND: If you would like, read the Armor of God section of Ephesians 6 (10-20). Imagine real people (inside the church and outside) as the instruments of Satan’s darkness and darts, and imagine how you might employ each piece of Godly “armor” - both with gentleness and with boldness.