Philippians 4:4-7
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
“… 5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. …”
I have a problem with the attitude of being “nice”. Certainly, courtesy, respect, and appreciation fill the description of being “nice”. Too often, however, “nice” is simply code language for “don’t rock the boat”, or “I understand you are a jerk”, or even “you’re a loser and a waste of space but I’m going to basically ignore you without you knowing that I’m ignoring you.” “Let’s all play nice” just doesn’t cut it.
Paul advises “gentleness”. More than nice, being gentle implies an intentional care for the other person. Rather than hostility, or worse – apathy, people of faith are called to see the other person as a child of God, inheritor of life, and created in God’s image. With such recognition, treating the other person with love, respect, compassion, and generosity becomes second nature.
When a person sees another hurting, gentleness of words provides comfort and consolation. When a person sees another joyful and elated, gentleness engages in affirmation and appreciation. When a person sees another lost, gentleness offers a guiding hand and a shared journey.
More than simply being nice, we are called by our Lord to be gentle – to care, to engage, to foster relationships, and to provide genuine love. Gentleness may seem out of pace with today’s society. But, in the kingdom of God, it mirrors the gentle love offered by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayer: God of grace, Your love is gentle and unassuming. Teach me Your ways of gentleness that I may bring comfort, consolation, hope, and appreciation to the world around me. Amen.