Strength of Gentleness
Be glad in the Lord always! Again I say, be glad! Let your gentleness show in your treatment of all people. The Lord is near.
—Philippians 4:4-5
Most of us really appreciate being around people who exude kindness and gentleness. We may wonder what it is they have that gives them the strength to be like that. We may marvel that they are so consistent in their mannerisms, so quietly confident in who they are. They treat everyone they meet as though they were lifelong friends. They’re strong, and we admire them.
Those who are confident in who they are, who lead with integrity and fight the good fight, have no need to come out in a raging fury. They know that more can be accomplished for the good of all others by a gentle spirit. As it says in Proverbs 15, “A sensitive answer turns back wrath, but an offensive word stirs up anger.”
May gentleness stir in your heart today, coming to your aid when someone is unkind, standing up for you when someone bruises your spirit, and guiding you when you can’t quite find your way. May the gentleness of Jesus permeate your soul and fix itself on those who come into your midst. As you show them your gentle spirit, God will show them his.
Even in chaos, show a spirit of gentleness and love.
QUIET THE WAVES
Lord, you so often deal gently with me. Help me keep my head around others today, giving them a gentle touch of love according to your will and purpose. Amen.
The Drink That Refreshes
Both fresh water and salt water don’t come from the same spring, do they?
—James 3:11
During winter months, we may love to dream about sandy beaches and warm salty water. We imagine the sounds of seagulls and ocean waves and shells along the shore. We love it until we need a nice cool drink. Hmmm . . . imagine being surrounded by blissful breezes and burning sands but with no cold refreshing drink. Everything is salt water. It looks like water, sounds like water, but it can’t refresh you from the inside. It only leaves you feeling drier and thirstier.
Life can be like that. We don’t notice whether we’re being nourished because for the moment we’re being satisfied. Once the illusion fades, we catch the reality like we just stepped on a jellyfish. We are almost startled to realize we need a taste of something that will truly sustain us, something more.
Your current faith may sustain you very well, or it may just keep you afloat on an endless sea of uncertainty. It may be time to drink more deeply and receive greater refreshment.
There is a beautiful beach, a place where you can play and hang out in the sun. All you have to do is ask and you’ll be there, filled forever with the cool, refreshing Spirit that will never leave you thirsty again.
Seek to drink from the satisfying Spirit of God.
QUIET THE WAVES
Lord, thank you for being the only living water that quenches the thirst of your children. Thank you for giving us all we need. Amen.
It All Begins with You
I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me.
—Matthew 25:35
It’s easy in our culture to gloss over the needs of our neighbors and those who are still strangers to us in the world. We can pass by the homeless and imagine that they just weren’t very good at managing their money or they really should join AA or some other “will somebody else please fix them” program. We may even give to United Way or some other such agency through the places we work. That makes giving so easy we don’t even have to think about it. To us, it’s just a loss of income anyway.
So how can we recognize the opportunity we have to act like Jesus? How will we differentiate the mindless-though-helpful giving from the kind that causes us to stop and notice what we’re actually doing? When you give with a full intention, from the heart, isn’t that more of the idea that Jesus had in mind?
Giving is always a choice. Whether you put your heart and mind into it is also a choice. Feeding others is not simply a matter of buying a meal. It’s a function of inviting them to the feast of a gracious God who gave everything for our good.
Giving begins with you. It keeps you in the flow of blessing in ways that nothing can measure. Is anyone thirsty in your midst today? Be their blessing.
Give from the heart with cheerful and loving intention.
QUIET THE WAVES
Lord, show me how I can open up my heart and be more generous to others. I know that you have been more than generous to me. Amen.
Now That’s a Mouthful!
Your speech should always be gracious and sprinkled with insight so that you may know how to respond to every person.
—Colossians 4:6
You’re speechless! Someone has just done something that surprised you and disappointed you so much, you hardly know what to say. Your first impulse is to charge in and make your appeal, let them know they crossed the line, totally messed things up, and yet . . . that isn’t really the response God is looking for.
When you take a little time to breathe, to rethink the issue, you might be able to come up with a reasonable explanation for the incident, something that will give you a place to start in repairing the relationship before a major meltdown happens. You might be able to ease up on the resentments and see a glimpse of what God sees, even in this messy bit of drama. You can choose to be gracious, to take time to think through your response so that what you say can make a positive difference to the whole situation.
When you’ve been surprised by someone’s actions or comments, it’s not easy to do the right thing, and yet, God would have you try to do so. We’re all still growing, and all we can do is thank God that he gives us room to do so. Let’s give each other that same space even when we’re tempted to give out a mouthful.
Think—pray—before
