. A beauteous grace, Charles Orr. The fruit of the Spirit is gentleness,
Galatians 5, 22-23. Gentleness is one of the fruits
of the Spirit. If we have the Spirit of Christ,
we bear this fruit. Well, says one, in my very make-up
I am rough, harsh, and severe. If so, you need to be made anew. When God finds a man who is rough,
harsh, and severe in his make-up, He will, as the man yields to
the operation of the Holy Spirit, make him mild, gentle, and peaceful. People go to a hospital and by
an operation have abscesses and tumors removed from the internal
parts. Just so, God by a blessed, wonderful,
and successful operation of the Holy Spirit will take that roughness,
harshness, and severity out of your nature and instill mildness,
tenderness, softness, and gentleness instead. Harshness and roughness
are a corruption that God, in His gracious plan of salvation,
is pleased to remove. As the Holy Spirit works in you
that which is pleasing in God's sight, He will make you gentle. What is gentleness? It is humility,
softness, mildness, and meekness. It is the opposite of harshness,
roughness, severeness, etc. It is sweetness of disposition,
mildness of temper, softness of manner. kindness, tenderness,
etc. Those who are of a gentle disposition
act and speak without harshness, they are not morose, sour, crapped,
and wavering, but are smooth, mild, and steadfast. Good manners
are intimately connected with gentleness, and good manners
are no dishonor to Christianity. The Apostle Paul, by way of testimony,
said to the Thessalonian saints, We were gentle among you, like
a mother caring for her little children. 1 Thessalonians 2.7
Such was his manner, as a kind mother is to a delicate child,
so was he to those whom he loved. Vastly different was he then
from what he was when he was persecuting and destroying the
Church of God. He had been changed by grace.
He exhorts pastors to be gentle unto all men, 2 Timothy 2.24.
and to be gentle, showing all meekness unto all men," Titus
3.2. David, in his sublime tribute
of praise to God, in 2 Samuel 22.36 says, Your gentleness has
made me great. Would you, my reader, like to
be more gentle in your manner? Are you too harsh and rough?
Are you, if a parent, as gentle to your children as you should
be at all times? Husband, are you as kind and
gentle toward your wife as you should be? Do you believe that
you come up to the Bible measure in this particular? Or do you
have impatient feelings and act in a hasty, abrupt manner towards
them? If you meet with something quite
provoking from your wife or the children, do you keep as mild
and sweet as you know you should? Now I hope you will examine closely,
I do not mean to condemn you. I want to help you. There are
many professing saints today who are not nearly as gentle
as they should be. Why not be in earnest, and seek
God for help, and make improvement? Why go along with crossness and
coldness and snappiness in your life? Be gentle toward all. Gentleness is a beauteous grace. Her excellence is great. By culture,
this grace is capable of much improvement. Too few saints experience
it to the extent that they should. I beseech you by the gentleness
of Jesus, 2 Corinthians 10.1, to be in earnest and improve
upon your gentleness. Never allow a frown or a scowl
to settle for a moment upon your brow. It will leave its mark
if you do so. Learn to be gentle, especially
in your home. Learn from me, for I am gentle
and humble in heart. Matthew 11.29 Be completely humble
and gentle. Ephesians 4.2 Let your gentleness
be evident to all. Philippians 4.5 But you, man
of God, pursue gentleness. 1 Timothy 6.11 Therefore, as
God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves
with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.