Being Gentle

Becoming Gentle

Galatians 5:22-23

September 17, 2023

Fragile: Handle with Care – How often have these words been put on a shipment to protect the package. When we moved here, the movers told us if our dishes broke they were not responsible because they didn’t pack them. Have you ever packed and shipped something and put on that great

FRAGILE: HANDLE WITH CARE label?

Even when we carelessly put together a package, we still expect it to arrive in one piece, unbroken. We not only do that with packages, but we also do that with many aspects of life. We usually don’t handle life with care.

We can say things which are very upsetting. In fact, do you know people who are very draining? Jon Gordon calls these people “ENERGY VAMPIRES.”

They’re the kind who say things that set you on edge and you’re convinced they enjoy doing it? They say things as if they are looking for a fight. They come into your home and ask, "Where did you find that wallpaper?" It’s obvious they’re not asking because they like it.

Do you have a bunch of Ralph Kramden’s in your life? If you remember the Honeymooners, Ralph was one of those loud and obnoxious people who are usually wrong, but can’t admit they’re wrong and always think they’re right. Besides that, they’re the type of people who easily get agitated and blow up when someone challenges them.

They come right out and ask, "Ooh, how much weight have you gained?" Or they tell us we look really tired. They tell us our outfit doesn’t really go. And they seem to question everything, even when there’s nothing to question.

They’re all around us! They’re in our families, at work, at school and even in the church. When deciding your Thanksgiving and Christmas plans, you try to work around their schedule so you can spend as little time with them as possible.

Our temperament, our personality, our reactions in dealing with these people, in dealing with issues when life becomes really fragile often times is an indicator of how we are doing on today’s topic.

Lately, we’ve been looking at what it means to find rest for our wearied bodies and spirits; how do we discover that Jesus’ offer of His yoke is really easy and His burden is light. Do we believe that? It’s an offer which should bring us rest, comfort, peace and relief.

For the next couple of weeks, we’re going to continue on that theme, and today I want to look at the spiritual fruit of what it means to have a spirit that demonstrates God’s GENTLENESS. Before he wrote about the fruits of the Spirit, in Galatians 5, Paul wrote - - -

13 For you were called to freedom. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. - Galatians 5:13-15

That’s a pretty sobering statement from Paul. God grants us freedom. And with that freedom we can love or hate. Of course, we’re called to love one another, but if we don’t, this last verse is pretty brutal. If we bite others, beware that you’re not just bitten, but consumed by that enemy. That’s a pretty stern warning.

Paul then goes on to list a number of sins. He calls them the sins of the flesh. Right after that, he gives us a list of 9 items called the Fruits of the Spirit. Paul tells us - - - -

22 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 GENTLENESS and self-control. Against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23

As we’re moving towards being more like Jesus, I hope you understand this is not about “trying harder.” It’s not about trying to be more patient, trying to be more gentle, trying to be more loving. Not that this is all bad, but this means you’re doing this on your own power.

And whenever we do this on our own power, we might succeed for a bit, but often times we get wearied, tired, frustrated; and we aren’t able to keep going. Notice that Paul calls this the Fruits of the SPIRIT. Not the fruits of Michael (insert your name).

This is about what the Spirit of God is offering us. I’m hoping you’ll allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in you, changing and making you into the kind of person God wants you to be. And when that happens, others will be coming up to you and asking how you’ve changed. It will be the fruit of the Spirit which is now evident in your life.