Archive for May 9th, 2006
Just a touch of Gentless Needed
We live in such a tough and cynical world. Often, the people we crush with our criticism and gossip are those closest to us and those who most need our encouragement and support. Yet these are the very people we know best how to hurt.
Donna and I are away from home visiting and listening to folks in a small mission church plant. They’ve been through a rough patch over the last year or so. It has taken its toll. Like most of us in God’s Kingdom, they need to treat each other with just a touch more gentleness and grace. However, unlike those of us in bigger churches, there are no places to hide when there are difficulties and frustrations — they either have to forgive and find a way to let go of the irritating and hurtful stuff or the precious body of Christ is threatened and friends are hurt.
On Monday, we’re going to re-run an old article I wrote on gentleness. As I prepped the article, I was convicted by three realizations.
First, I have often been way too rough and unthoughtful as I have dealt with people. God expects me to be more gentle in the way I deal with others — like He is gentle and Jesus was gentle!
Second, the New Testament repeatedly challenges God’s people to be gentle, yet I have seldom if ever have heard a sermon on gentleness … even from my own mouth!
Third, all of our churches, large and small, would be greatly blessed by a much more solid commitment to be a gentle and gracious people!
God forgive us — God forgive me — for being so impatient, pushy, critical, harsh, demanding, and driven. The world is tough enough without those closest to us, those whom we are helping toward heaven, to be treated roughly when they are desperate for the gentle touch of the Savior’s grace.