Read Matthew 5:1–5
I love reading biographies of great individuals. I’ve said for years that all of us should be students of great people. I’ve read several volumes in my lifetime on the life and character of Abraham Lincoln. Tucked away in one story of Lincoln and his home life is a wonderful piece of knowledge that few perhaps would guess: Lincoln was a gentle father. Though strong in temperament, determined in his vision for freedom, and often fiery in his leadership style, he carried the mantle of gentleness into his home. I love that!
Jesus spoke about the blessings of being gentle in His Sermon on the Mount, specifically in the section known as the Beatitudes:
One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, and he began to teach them.
“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble [gentle], for they will inherit the whole earth.” (Matthew 5:1–5)
A gentle servant brings a soothing, calming presence into a room filled with angst. A gentle servant-father offers comfort at just the right time and in just the right doses. A gentle servant knocks before entering a daughter’s room. A gentle servant-dad thinks before delivering his opinion or offering unsolicited counsel. A gentle servant-mother weighs her words, especially before her children who are so vulnerable in the growing up years.
I urge you to pursue a spirit of gentleness today—especially if you have young children or teens in the home. Ask the Lord to form it in you by His grace. It is a fruit of the Spirit, after all!
Devotional content taken from Good Morning, Lord...Can We Talk? by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2018. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries. All rights reserved.
The full devotional can be purchased at https://www.tyndale.com/p/good-morning-lord-can-we-talk/9781414380681.
