The Fruit of the Holy Spirit – What is Gentleness?
Gentleness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that all Christians should seek to cultivate in their lives. The Greek word translated as “gentleness” in Galatians 5:23 is prautes, which means mildness, humility and tenderness. A gentle person is not easily provoked or quick to become angry, but rather has a spirit of patience, self-control and thoughtful consideration of others.
Gentleness Was Modeled by Christ
Jesus Christ perfectly exemplified gentleness during His earthly ministry. He did not react in anger when mocked, spit upon, or treated unjustly, but entrusted Himself to God who judges righteously (1 Peter 2:23). Though Christ could have called upon legions of angels for deliverance, He chose to endure suffering in humble obedience to the Father’s will (Matthew 26:53-54). Jesus described Himself as gentle and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29) and demonstrated tenderness in His dealings with children, sinners, and outcasts of society. His gentleness drew the weak and burdened to find rest for their souls (Matthew 11:28-30).
Gentleness Springs from Humility
A gentle spirit flows out of humility and complete reliance on God. Pride and arrogance often manifest as anger, hostility and aggression towards others. But when we recognize our own spiritual poverty and helplessness before God, we become more patient, kind and tenderhearted (James 4:6-10). Gentleness is expressed through consideration of others above oneself (Philippians 2:3-4), a willingness to yield personal rights and not always demand one’s own way. Gentleness looks to the interests of Christ above personal interests (Philippians 2:5-8).
Gentleness Requires Strength Under Control
Gentleness is not weakness, but rather strength brought under control. The Greek word prautes was used to describe a wild animal that had been tamed. An unbroken horse has great power, but left unrestrained can be quite dangerous. When its strength is controlled, the horse becomes docile and useful. Likewise, gentleness involves harnessing our passions and energies under the direction of the Holy Spirit rather than selfish desires. Though gentleness involves restraint, it is active rather than passive, directed by love rather than timidity.
Gentleness Defuses Anger and Offenses
Gentleness serves as a powerful remedy against interpersonal conflicts. Scripture instructs us to speak gently and with self-control in order to turn away wrath (Proverbs 15:1), restore the fallen (Galatians 6:1), and avoid quarrels and offenses (Titus 3:2). When we respond in gentleness, it invites others to lower their defensiveness. Gentle words bring healing, while harsh words stir up anger (Proverbs 15:4). Meeting mistreatment with grace and kindness helps break cycles of offense. Like a shock absorber in a car, gentleness smooths out the bumps in relationships.
Gentleness Requires Fervent Love
While gentleness involves self-control, it is not motivated by fear or self-interest. True gentleness can only spring from a heart filled with the love of God. It flows from a genuine concern for the wellbeing of others and a willingness to inconvenience oneself to serve them. Ananias humbly obeyed the Lord by going to minister to Saul, who had violently persecuted Christians (Acts 9:10-19). His gentle restoration of Saul came out of faith and agape love. We must actively grow in loving God and others to have a well of gentleness to draw upon in difficult relationships or situations.
Gentleness Should Mark Our Speech
Both Christ and the apostles instruct us to be gentle in our speech towards others. Paul exhorted the Thessalonians to comfort one another with words of gentleness (1 Thessalonians 5:14) and he urged Timothy to correct opponents with gentleness (2 Timothy 2:25). Harsh, accusatory and demanding words often trigger defensiveness. But gentle, gracious speech has the power to turn away anger, guide the lost and impart grace to the hearers (Proverbs 15:1, Colossians 4:6). We grieve the Holy Spirit when we speak contemptuously, raise our voices angrily or slam the door on those we disagree with. But gentleness paves the way for the Spirit to enlighten darkened minds and soften hardened hearts.
Gentleness Shows Consideration for the Weak
An evidence of gentleness is thoughtfulness and accommodation for those who are weak or immature in the faith. The more mature believers in Romans 14-15 were exhorted not to quarrel over opinions about eating meat or observing holy days. Rather they were to accept one another and avoid offending those with a sensitive conscience (Romans 14:1-3). Paul and Barnabas sharply opposed those who demanded Gentile believers be circumcised to be saved (Acts 15:1-2). But they and the Jerusalem Council still recommended some basic guidelines to help Jewish and Gentile believers maintain fellowship with each other (Acts 15:19-29). Gentleness prefers limiting freedoms at times rather than wounding others.
Gentleness Is Not Synonymous with Compromise
Gentleness is not incompatible with firmly upholding moral truth and resisting sin. Christ exhibited perfect gentleness, but He did not compromise God’s standards. He exposed and confronted the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, turned over the tables in the temple courtyard and rebuked the religious leaders for burdening people (Matthew 21-23). Yet He still treated them with respect. The Holy Spirit produces gentleness along with courage, conviction and self-control. We must speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) – holding to biblical principles with humility, patience and grace. Gentleness does not result in compromising truth, but rather delivers truth in doses the hearer can digest.
Gentleness Characterizes Our Witness for Christ
Christians are called to make a defense for our faith to a hostile world, but always with gentleness (1 Peter 3:15-16). We must not return insult for insult or evil for evil, but entrust ourselves to God who will judge justly. Winning arguments should not be our goal, but rather accurately representing Christ and sowing seeds of truth. Becoming angry and overbearing will only confirm negative perceptions of Christians. But if we return blessing for reviling, it may result in some opening their hearts to the gospel. Our motivation must be their redemption, not proving ourselves right.
Examples of Gentleness in the Bible
Throughout Scripture we find portrayals of gentleness that provide models for us to follow:
– Abigail respectfully appeased David’s wrath towards her foolish husband Nabal with gifts and tactful words (1 Samuel 25:2-35).
– Joseph graciously reassured his brothers of his forgiveness despite their betrayal of him (Genesis 50:15-21).
– Moses exemplified meekness more than all men on earth and tenderly shepherded Israel through the wilderness (Numbers 12:3, Isaiah 63:7-9).
– Ruth gracefully gleaned in Boaz’s field and honored him with humility (Ruth 2).
– Hannah brought her grief to the Lord with a gentle spirit and poured out praise for His grace (1 Samuel 1-2).
– Nehemiah carried out his mission in Jerusalem with wisdom and compassion for the oppressed (Nehemiah 5:14-19).
– Esther bravely yet gently appealed to the king to save her people from destruction (Esther 5:1-4).
Steps to Growing in Gentleness
Since gentleness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) that He produces in our lives, we must stay connected to Christ as the vine through prayer, obedience and abiding in His Word if we want to grow in gentleness (John 15:1-5). In addition, Scripture gives some practical instruction that helps nurture gentleness:
1. Humble yourself before God – Seeing ourselves in light of His majesty and grace fosters gentleness towards others (1 Peter 5:5-7).
2. Take personal inventory – Examine areas of pride, selfishness and anger that may be hindering gentleness. Confess these to the Lord (Psalm 139:23-24).
3. Meditate on Christ’s gentleness – As we behold Jesus’ tenderness, it transforms us to become more like Him (2 Corinthians 3:18). Study how He responded to difficult people and situations (Matthew 11:29, 1 Peter 2:21-23).
4. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help – We cannot manufacture gentleness in our own strength. Ask God to fill us with His love and gentleness towards those we find difficult (Galatians 5:22-23).
5. Remind yourself of God’s mercy – Remembering how patient and forgiving God has been towards us motivates us to extend grace to others (Ephesians 4:32).
6. Limit influences that stir up anger – Evaluate our entertainment, social media, news sources, and music. Do they provoke anxiety and outrage? Or promote peace? (Philippians 4:8)
7. Study and meditate on scriptures about gentleness – Internalizing Bible passages about gentleness renews our mind to be more like Christ (Colossians 3:12-14, Psalm 141:5, Proverbs 15:1).
8. Choose gentleness during conflict – When we feel provoked or offended, pause and pray for wisdom to respond gently (James 1:19-20).
9. Express appreciation to others – Focusing on the good qualities in people makes it easier to be patient with their faults (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
10. Serve others – Doing kind deeds redirects our focus from ourselves onto others’ needs, fostering compassion (Philippians 2:3-7).
The Bible connects gentleness with wisdom, not foolishness. Developing Christlike gentleness requires intention, humility, prayer and practice. But when we walk in gentleness, we reflect the light of Jesus into every relationship and situation we encounter.