Gentleness And Goodness (2 Lessons) Series

Let’s look at them:

> “Tenderhearted” is the first we encounter.

Q. What do you think tenderhearted means?

A. It has to do with having pity and compassion on others.

> “Forgiving” – That’s a real good word in the Christian’s vocabulary, isn’t it?

These three words really all fit together, don’t they?

> A person who is KIND will also be tenderhearted and forgiving.

> A person who is TENDERHEARTED will be kind and forgiving.

> A person who is FORGIVING will be kind and tenderhearted.

So one thing we see about gentleness is this blessed triad of kindness, tenderheartedness and a forgiving spirit.

Next, go with me to Colossians 3:12 – “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness [this is chrēstotēs, translated “gentleness” remember in Galatians 5:22, the list of the fruit of the Spirit], humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.”

Again, look at the words that kindness (chrēstotēs) is associated with here:

> “Bowels of mercies”

In ancient culture, the deepest feelings were thought to emanate from the bowels. Today, we associate it with the heart. This phrase is the ancient language equivalent to “mercy from the bottom of your heart”—or, “heartfelt mercy.”

Having “bowels of mercy” may seem strange to us today, but if you think about it, associating with our hearts is just as odd since our deepest emotions really come from our MIND, which we now know is housed in our brains. But who wants to hear their lover whisper romantically in their ear, “Baby, I love you with all my brain!”?

Well, anyway, what Paul meant by “bowels of mercies” was “heartfelt mercies.”

> The next word Paul uses in Colossians 3:12 is “humbleness of mind.”

Q. Can you think of a synonym for “humbleness of mind”?

A. “Humility.”

> Next, Paul tells the Colossians to put on “meekness” and “longsuffering,” two qualities also in the list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 2:22-23. – We’ve already studied longsuffering and we’ll examine meekness in a couple of weeks, so let’s hold off on that for now.

Again, these are all “associative words”—words that are often linked together.

As we look at how they’re related, do you get a feeling that you might need an “attitude adjustment”? God is saying that very thing—that we do indeed need to adjust our attitude. We need to walk in the Spirit so that we manifest the fruit of the Spirit and the attitudes associated with the fruit of the Spirit. Every believer ought to be characterized by kindness, tenderheartedness, forgiveness, mercy, humility, meekness, and longsuffering.

My, how we fall short of God’s ideal for us because we do not walk in the Spirit!

• Finally, let’s look at 1 Corinthians 13:4 – “Charity [love] suffereth long, and is kind [another variation of chrēstós]; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.”