Quote from Forum Archives on February 19, 2003, 10:44 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

Today's Word for Today is about gentleness, but hardly the kind
of gentleness that may first come to mind. This definition and
description of gentleness is based on the biblical idea of
gentleness. Unless your idea of gentleness comes from the
biblical description of gentleness, this may be something new, or
perhaps this is nothing more than a confirmation and reminder of
the things we already know and value.

In either case, please read about the kind of gentleness that
we'd all appreciate, but we see so infrequently during the course
of the typical day.

Dear Lord,

Please continue to work in each of our lives as You have been so
faithfully and consistently doing. For those of us who do not
realize Your constant Presence, please open the doors to their
hearts. As You do so, please work freshly and continually in
each of us, beginning with me. Amen.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

-----------------------------------------------

WORD FOR TODAY from Bob Gass
20 Feb 2003

Gentleness

" BUT WE WERE GENTLE AMONG YOU, LIKE A MOTHER CARING FOR HER
LITTLE CHILDREN " THESSALONIANS 2 : 7 (NIV)

Can you remember when you last read a book or heard a sermon on
gentleness? Gentleness sounds so much like weakness that we're
tempted to think it's downright 'wimpish'. Nothing could be
further from the truth. Listen: 'Blessed are the meek: for they
shall inherit the earth' (Matthew 5:5). Notice: the gentle don't
strive like others, yet they inherit everything. That's because
gentleness, which is first cousin to meekness, is born of love.
A love that:

1) refuses to rush to judgment (2) doesn't drop names or force
its way, because it has nothing to prove (3) is deeply troubled
when the structure, the budget and the corporate image become
more important than the people they are called to serve (4) is
grieved when the schedule leaves no time to stop and minister to
the young, the old, the infirm, and the hurting.

Gentleness is a virtue hard to find in a society that admires
toughness. We're encouraged to get things done and get them done
fast, even though people get hurt in the process. Success,
accomplishment and productivity count, but what about the cost?
There's no place for gentleness in such a milieu. That's why
Paul wrote, '...we were gentle among you, like a mother caring
for her little children.'

A gentle person treads lightly, listens carefully, looks
tenderly and touches with reverence. The gentle know that true
growth requires nurture, not force. So let's dress ourselves
with gentleness, for in our tough and unbending world gentleness
is a vivid reminder of God's presence among us.

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=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

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