A Magnolia's Heart Beats

One WFW, I began a Fruit of the Spirit theme. My first post started with the verse, and each week I have been led to post one on each fruit. I have posted on love, joy , peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness.

This week's fruit is gentleness. This picture tells the story of gentleness.

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."

~ Ephesians 4:2

This is a picture of Kristyn, my bonus daughter, who was 22 when Nolan was born, taken by her husband Corey. If you knew my daughter's eyes as I know them, you would see them as I saw them, full of post-partum depression, operating on very little sleep, scared because her baby was so "floppy". He came home from the hospital weighing 5 lb., 3 oz., and at the time this picture was taken, he was recovering from jaundice and had his days and nights mixed up. But look at her hand on that precious baby. She was so gentle with him, despite her circumstances. She was humbled at being a new Mommy, and was very patient and gentle, bearing with him in love. It's a perfect picture of gentleness to me. (Notice Curious George beside her? That's not Nolan's toy, hah hah! Curious George was with her even in labor!)

And now, onto gentleness....I found in Easton's Bible Dictionary that gentleness, or meekness, means in part, a calm temper of mind, not easily provoked.

In times past, I have thought of meekness as being weak, but it's not.

Christ and Moses, along with Abraham, David, and Paul are referenced in the full defintion as being gentle and meek. Their tender spirits working with the wisdom of not being easily provoked inspire me.

At times these men could be very bold, and certainly all were powerful, especially Christ; however, power and boldness is not what totally characterized their lives when they were on earth, in fact, I think it was a fruit of their lives.

I believe it could be said that gentleness is "power or boldness under control."

Let's look at illness and vaccines as an illustration. Without the flu vaccine, illness would start running rampant and become a world-wide plague. It would be out of control. But scientists and great doctors have developed a vaccine that has brought influenza into a controlled enviornment and has saved many from not only illness but a lot of them from death!

Christ offers us a great exchange (or even vaccine) for the illness in our lives. When we feel like we're spinning out of control and need to be reigned in, He offers...

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." ~ Matthew 11:28-30

It's up to us to come to Him and receive the rest and gentleness He so richly and freely offers.

Definining the place that gentleness has in our lives as Christians is easy, given the fact that it is a fruit of the Spirit.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires." ~ Galatians 5:22-24 (Emphasis, mine)

Sometimes being gentle is the last thing we want to be, but knowing we, as Christians, should bear this as a fruit in our life make it worth striving for. Although it may go against our grain, we read above that when we belong to Christ, we have victory to cultivate and grow this fruit.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ~ Philippians 4:4-6

As we walk with Christ, we should let our gentleness be evident to all, even when we are anxious, worried, tried and oppressed. Let's let it be our fruit, borne from the Spirit within us.

"By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit." ~ Matthew 7:16-18

The good fruit of gentleness in controlling our behavior regardless of our circumstances will be a glory to God the Father through Christ Jesus our Lord. When we stay connected to the Vine, bearing this fruit will be easy.

Father, I ask for an extra measure of your grace as I seek to honor You by bearing the fruit of gentleness in my life. I want it to be evident to all, not for my glory but for Yours. I want to honor You in all the fruit that I bear, and I trust Your Word when it says that a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Help me exchange my burdens and weariness for the humbleness and gentleness of Your precious light and easy yoke. Let me cultivate characteristics of gentleness, such as being kind, even-tempered, and totally humble to You, oh Lord. Thank You for being my Gardener. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

Please visit Amydeanne, hostess of Word Filled Wednesday, to see what she and the others are blessing us with left and right in their posts.