Gentle people reach out to others in ways that make others want to reach out to them. Communication is easy, or at least looks easy, for the Christian who has disciplined himself to bear such fruit. Are you gentle? Ask yourself, “do others welcome me readily when I approach them?” And “do others easily come to me for help?” Whether or not we are gentle is best measured by looking at how others relate and respond to us.

Are you gentle? How would you know?

Gentleness, or meekness, is often defined by culture as softness, usually implying weakness. Christians sometimes define it as controlled strength.

But Wilhelmus a Brakel points us to a description more consistent with the New Testament uses of the term. He observes that the root of the Greek word is “a derivative of the word ‘to transfer’” and thus the gentle person is one “who readily establishes contact with others and with whom others easily make contact in turn.”^[1]

In short, gentle people are approachable people. Meek people have something worth communicating or transferring to the souls of others, and they work to do so. They also know that they need to receive from others, so they’re ready to listen.

In the New Testament, gentleness usually has to do with communication, both verbal and non-verbal. Gentle people reach out to others in ways that make others want to reach out to them. Communication is easy, or at least looks easy, for the Christian who has disciplined himself to bear such fruit.

Are you gentle? Ask yourself, “do others welcome me readily when I approach them?” And “do others easily come to me for help?” Whether or not we are gentle is best measured by looking at how others relate and respond to us.

People know instinctively that the gentle-of-heart build bridges to transfer the treasure with which they’ve been entrusted. And they sense that it is safe to connect with them in order to receive that treasure. Both Overbearing Otis and Shy Shelly fail the test of gentleness. Overbearing Otis fails to value the people around him and cannot build bridges. In the process, he tarnishes the treasure he holds. Shy Shelly is too fearful to build bridges. She also fails to value the treasure entrusted to her, leaving people around her with the sense that she has nothing to offer anyway. The work of the Holy Spirit is necessary for each of these souls to become gentle.

A mature, gentle person can relate to all kinds of people. Even when situations are awkward, or difficult matters must be discussed, meek saints leave others knowing that they love them even in the midst of conflict. And that, indeed, requires great strength. Jerry Bridges wrote, “Gentleness is illustrated by the way we would handle a carton of exquisite crystal glasses; it is the recognition that the human personality is valuable but fragile and must be handled with care.”^[2]

Where do we see these truths in the The New Testament?

[Editor’s note: This article is incomplete. The link (URL) to the original article at Gentle Reformation is unavailable and has been removed.]