Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Phil. 4:5
Lord Jesus, this Scripture immediately makes me think of you, for you are quintessential gentleness. No one is as kind to the broken, patient with the challenging, calm in crisis, or peace-full in disruption, as you are.
You’re like the perfect surgeon—the one I want working on me. You never get nervous or flustered, agitated or hurried. You have a steady hand because of your grace-full heart. I gladly surrender to your surgeon’s hand today, for I want to grow in gentleness.
Gentle me when I’m behind slow drivers “hogging” the fast lane, or get charged too much for a job poorly done. Gentle me when I’m too tired to engage, but my spouse needs me to listen. Gentle me when I lose a big fish, break a favorite thing, or miss an awesome opportunity. Gentle me when my body hurts, my heart aches, and my mind races.
Gentle me when the vacation gets cut short by crises, friends make the same destructive choices, or the restaurant gives me the wrong takeout order. Gentle me when it “rains on my parade,” but not on my lawn. Gentle me, (and my words) when I face unkindness—even contempt from others.
Gentle me when I’m tempted to debate theology rather than love people with whom I disagree. Gentle me when my attempts to “fix” people fail—though you haven’t called me to fix anyone. Gentle me when the car, plumbing, or heating/cooling system needs fixing again.
Lord Jesus, you’re so near to us in the gospel, and near in terms of your return. May your nearness generate a much quicker repentance on my part, when my first reaction might be agitation or frustration, whining or worry. Gentle me by the gospel and your Spirit, for your glory and my neighbors’ benefit. So very Amen I pray, in your kind and loving name.
