Gentleness

“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” Philippians 4:5 (NIV)

Gentleness is not a word that we hear much about these days. Very few of us wanted to be considered “gentle”. It sounds weak and is not a virtue that is sought after by many. Most of us probably aren’t even sure how this might apply to our businesses or even our households.

I’ve found in my own life that gentleness doesn’t always come easy. It’s easy at times, like when my daughter falls and skins her knee, or my husband isn’t feeling well (At least, it’s easy when he first gets sick…). But what about being gentle in the tough times. The times when you are dealing with a rude customer or when your husband is upset with you about something you don’t feel was unjustified? Can we be expected to be gentle even then? The Lord is teaching me that in both of these scenarios my response is to be one of gentleness.

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1 (NIV)

It is not only a good idea to answer the frustrating times in our life with gentleness; it is what God’s desires from us. Through Him we can learn to have a gentle answer, a gentle and quiet spirit. (1 Peter 3:3-5) We can build up our marriages, and hope that the angry customer will notice the difference in our reaction to them.

About the Author: Jill Hart is the author of the e-book, 2 Weeks Devotional Journey for Christian Work at Home Moms, and the founder and editor of Christian Work at Home Moms CWAHM.com. This site is dedicated to providing work at home moms with opportunities to promote their businesses while at the same time providing them spiritual encouragement and articles. E-mail Jill at jill@cwahm.com for additional information or stop by her site at www.cwahm.com.