2Sa 22:36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and
thy gentleness
hath made me great
Gentleness, and Grace are not examples
of weakness, but the learnt and
given witness of strength made tender by love.
We see in the life of Jesus,
and many great men of God one common theme.... and
that is gentleness. It is displayed in every area of life and marks godliness
as surely as
the carrying of a bible or a the wearing of a cross. Gentleness and grace go
hand in
hand, where Grace means not receiving what we deserve, “Gentleness is the
strong heart under control that delivers it”.
There are occasions in our Lords Life
where you may say. "Ah but how about where
he turned the tables over in the temple and drove out the money changers
and dove
sellers" . I agree, but what grace the Son of God showed, what strength
under control
he exhibited only to turn over a few tables and not call down legions of
angels from
heaven and remove not
only the dove sellers but the entire temple and city. This was
the heart under
control that was gracious, and even though he saw his Fathers temple
being abused and the
people misled he still replied with Grace. It was this driving
Grace that caused him to care enough for the lost and the gentleness with which he
answered his Fathers call to become the lamb of sacrifice for all mankind.
In our search for this strength today we
have discarded beautiful gift and sought to be
strong by our own volition. Today strength is nearly always portrayed as the
ability to
crush another person. In other words we are perceived to be strong by
trampling those
of less strength beneath us. This example is seen in Business, it is seen
on the street, it
is seen in the advertising of Body Spray and after shave, and it can even
be seen in the
cars we drive.
However the strength this refers to is
passing and will not last, it is centered on one
thing and one thing only the flesh. This drive for strength pushes many people
to
extremes to attain it, it goes past the keeping fit or in shape stage and into
stupidity.
Part of the simple truth we find in
gentleness is the knowledge of the grace that is
upholding and keeping us, a gentle man is at peace with his heart and is confident
in
who God has made him to be. He is not prompted by the mark of fear in his
soul to
become angry and rough with those closest to him, because fear in one fashion
or
another is always the seed of anger that explodes in a mans heart.
You may say I got angry with the man
because he did not listen, is this not rooted in
fear and pride that just possibly we may not be who we think we are ?. A man
may get
angry at the poverty of his circumstance, is this not fearing that Gods
provision has
for some reason been withdrawn and he may not have what is needed to feed
his
family.
Many are the fears that try and invade
the heart of man, but for every fear there is the
power of Jesus Christ moving in us re- assuring and confirming his love for us
and the
fact of who we truly are.
Men do not fear,
do not let your anger cause a roughness to come to those that you
love the dearest. Be gentle with all, but firm with the truth because
gentleness is the
yielding of our spirit to the greater Holy Spirit. It is the outworking power of
Gods
love nature that is uncompromising in its message but never ceasing in its
grace.
2Sa 22:36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and
thy gentleness
hath made me great.
King David understood this truth and
this is one of the marks of his greatness, that
when fear came near to rob his gentleness this is what arose in his heart.
For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my
darkness.
For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped
over a wall.
As for God, his way is
perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler
to all them that trust
in him.
Greatness is not the outward show of
strength, or the ability to be above every other
man it is the enduring knowledge and patience that comes from an unshakable
hope
that is rooted in the rock of Gods promises. Many men are powerful, many men
have
had position above all, but who are the ones that are remembered and who’s
names
are written in history. For example who do we remember from the last
century? Was
it the rich aristocrat or politician who had power and strength over many ,
I can think
of maybe one or two. Or do we remember the millions who fought and died for
our
freedom on foreign soil, who laid down their hopes and dreams for a brighter
future
on the sea, or who battled above our land to fight back the enemy bombers.
No these
are the great who rested their hope in Freedom.
Ah but you may say they were rough men,
unbelievers, backsliders, but at that
moment when their part was played did they not know the sweet gentleness of
knowing they had done their part in securing freedom. They were gentle in their
sacrifice following the path of their master who laid down his life too, and were
obedient unto death and living out the promises of God.
Jesus came as the lamb
of God, his purpose bold his coarse set he was obedient to
death on the cross. Here we see the greatness of gentleness, when all of hell
was
unleashed upon his broken body and for an instant he felt the separation from his
father, did he call down legions of angels to crush the Roman garrison and lay
flat
lowest point the lamb of God shattered the teeth of a wicked world by the
reaching
out with the gentleness of a father for his lost and dying children.
What Father when he is away from his
family and has only a phone between him and
bedside of sick child, would he lash out in anger at their sin and ignorance for
not
listening, for driving to fast, climbing that high tree cliff or swimming into a
strong
current. No grace and gentleness would surely cover his words, even though his
heart
were bleeding, if his arms were able to hold them he would.
Today there is a gentle heart that wants
to hold us too, be not conformed to this world
but be transformed by the renewing of the mind. Let the strength and might
of
almighty God be made perfect by the outworking of gentleness in all we do.
Gentlemen, hold the door open for others
Gentlemen, stand when others enter
Gentlemen offer their seat to others
Gentlemen know the hope of Glory that
has made them.