I seldom do this, but I want to share with you a study that I read this morning from a favorite devotional of mine. I would ask that everyone who attends the Journey regularly (and even if you don’t) take a moment and read this if you would – it will take a minute, but it is so good about the fruit of gentleness – an attribute I want to see in our church relationships with each other. Below is from Sparkling Gems from the Greek by Rick Renner, pp. 534-535.
The word “gentleness” comes from the Greek word chrestotes, which meant “to show kindness” or “to be friendly to others” and often depicted “rulers, governors, or people who were kind, mild, and benevolent to their subjects.” Anyone who demonstrated this quality of chrestotes was considered to be “compassionate, considerate, sympathetic, humane, kind, or gentle.” The Apostle Paul uses this word to depict God’s “incomprehensible kindness” for people who are unsaved (see Romans 11:22; Ephesians 2:7; Titus 3:4).
One scholar has noted that when the word chrestotes is applied to inter-human relationships, it conveys the idea of being “adaptable to others.” Rather than harshly requiring everyone else to adapt to his own needs and desires, when chrestotes is working in a believer, he seeks to become adaptable to the needs of those around him.
Paul was so driven to compassion about reaching the lost that he told the Corinthian church:
· And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews…(I Corinthians 9:20)
· …to them that are under the law, as under the law that I might gain them (I Corinthians 9:20)
· To them that are without law, as without law…that I might gain them (I Corinthians 9:21)
· To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak (I Corinthians 9:22)
· …I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some…(I Corinthians 9:20)
You see, Paul was so interested in reaching others and meeting their needs that he was willing to become whatever he needed in order to reach them. In fact, he was well-known for being adaptable to people and to their needs. Paul even wrote these words about himself: “Now I Paul myself beg you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ…” (2 Corinthians 10:1).
The word “gentleness” is the same word chrestotes that Paul now uses to describe himself. He made it one of the aims of his life to walk in chrestotes, or in “gentleness and kindness,” becoming “adaptable” to others around him so that he might minister to them and meet their needs.
This is so contrary to the flesh! Flesh says, “Excuse me, but if you don’t like me the way that I am, you can tough it out! This is the way I am, (the way God made me!), and if you don’t like it, you can just deal with it or get out of here. I’m not changing for anyone!”
But when the Holy Spirit is producing His fruit of gentleness in you, you’ll hear yourself thinking and saying, “How can I be different for you? Is there any way that I can change that will help you? Is there anything I can do better for you? How can I serve you and meet your need effectively?”
It is a supernatural work of God when we become adaptable to meet the needs of others around us. When we attain this fruit of the Spirit in our lives, we are making great progress in our walk with God. This is exactly what Jesus did for us when He laid aside His glory and took upon Himself the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men (see Philippians 2:7-8). When Jesus came to earth, He denied His own comfort and adapted to human flesh that He might reach us and bring us to God!
Do you find yourself thinking about how you can reach others, both inside and outside the church? Do you think of ways you can change to be a bigger blessing to people in your life? The flesh never thinks this way. It just like the flesh to demand that everyone else change…!
So if you are starting to consider how you can be more for those who are around you, it is a strong indication that the fruit of the Spirit called “gentleness” is starting to work in you. And if it hasn’t started to work in you, today would be a great day for you to ask the Holy Spirit to start producing this Christ-like attribute in your life!
A declaration: I declare that I am gentle, kind, and adaptable to those who are around me. As the Spirit of God works inside me, I become all things to all men in order that I might gain some for the
May the Spirit of gentleness begin manifesting itself at The Journey. Unfortunately, too many people have felt judged, pressured, or belittled when with us, and it has been a device of the devil to pull us apart. But we recognize it, and we ask that the Spirit of God controls us more and more, both individually and corporately. May we operate according to the fruits of the Spirit, and may gentleness be an adjective that those outside the church use to describe us, from the nursery worker to the children’s teacher to the praise team musician to the senior pastor. God, we choose to clothe ourselves with gentleness, starting today!
