Meekness, Gentleness Series

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT – GENTLENESS -- MEEKNESS

I Thessalonians 2: 6b-12

This morning were looking at the fruit of the spirit – GENTLENESS

I was reading about a little girl who was asked to write an essay on "birth"

She went home and asked her mother how she had been born.

Her mother, was busy at the time, said

’the stork brought you darling, and left you on the doorstep.’

Continuing her research she asked her dad how he’d been born.

Being in the middle of something and a little embarrassed said:

I was found at the bottom of the garden, where the fairies brought me.’

Then the girl went and asked her grandmother how she had arrived.

Her grandmother being of the old school, and the child not being old enough to know said: “I was picked from a gooseberry bush”.

With this information the girl wrote her essay. When the teacher asked her

later to read it in front of the class, she stood up and began,

"There has not been a natural birth in our family for three generations..."

Traditional humor as told by Rev. Richard J. Fairchild

Gentleness is often confused with meekness and

Meekness is translated to weakness.

Webster defines Gentleness as 1. being Considerate, kindly and tender.

2. Not harsh or severe; like a gentle scolding; a gentle tapping at the window.

The Greek word “Praos” was defined as “power under control.”humble, teachable.

The Greeks always had a picture with their definition of words.

For gentleness it was a wild horse tamed and brought under control.

Today we might have a picture of Water that’s under control

rushing through a hydroelectric turbines, generating electricity to light a city.

Or we might show a disease under control

That can produce vaccines & save thousands of lives.

Don’t watch TV if you want to pick up some gentleness.

Our Sitcoms and movies

Are full of people screaming at

Cussing out,

Beating up and

Punching out.

Threatening people to “make my day.”

There is little or no example of gentleness.

Gentleness as a fruit of the Spirit:

Is first of all

I. GENTLENESS IS STRENGTH UNDER CONTROL.

And the servant of the Lord must not strive;

but be GENTLE unto all men..."

2 Timothy 2:24

Not long ago I slipped through the toy section of one of our stores in town only to see a young mother and a small child. I knew they were there before I saw them because I could hear the child three isles away. He wanted his mother to buy him something. She said no. And off he went into a tantrum, lying on the flood kicking his feet and screaming.

She attempted to hand him first one toy and then the next.

But he kept saying no, no.

And so on went the game.

He didn’t know what he wanted.

He just knew he wanted something.

And Had he been my child ….he would have gotten that something.

Until we know who we are.

We won’t ever be able to control what we are.

We don’t think of Mike Tyson as a gentle person.

He goes into the boxing ring not knowing what he wants.

So changes the rules to include biting ears.

When we think of a gentle person.

We might think of Lincoln, Gandhi, Einstiein

And we Christian definitely think of Jesus .

They were not men of timid natures

But men who recognizing their weakness

Remembered their destinies and acted accordingly.

This is not an adolescent strength.

It is the result of a mature man or woman.

It is the vertical beam of the cross

Connecting us to the controlling power of God

That set us free from any kind of reacting the world may demand of us.

Leaving us in complete control of our responsibility to life.

Matthew 5:5 God blesses those who are gentle and lowly, for the whole earth will belong to them.

Gentleness is not something we believe.

It is a lifestyle we live.

I. GENTLENESS IS STRENGTH UNDER CONTROL

II. GENTLENESS IS A RELATIONSHIP IN CHECK.

I Thessalonians 2: 6 As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, 7but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.

Just as Gentleness in strength under control –like the vertical beam of the cross

So Gentleness is a relationship in check –like the horizontal beam of the cross.

This deals with our relationship to others.

I Thessalonians 2: 8 “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.”

We all know what its like to meet VIP’s Very important people.

But do you know any VDPs, "Very Draining People?"