A Spirit of Gentleness
Galatians 6:1 Brothers and sisters, someone in your group might do something wrong. You who are following the Spirit should go to the one who is sinning. Help make that person right again, and do it in a gentle way. But be careful, because you might be tempted to sin too.
In a perfect world, we’d all play nice with each other, and we’d all get on just fine. But, obviously, we don’t live in a perfect world. And that means that sometimes, people are going to hurt us.
When someone wrongs you, how do you respond? You know, they ignore you, or betray you, or shout at you, however that wrong plays itself out. When it happens, how do you respond?
Our first instinct, often, is to lash out. In part, it’s a protective mechanism, but all too often, we want justice, we want recompense, we want revenge. What we want, is to hurt them the way they hurt us, only with a double helping.
And so, we either confront them and tear them to shreds, or we withdraw, regroup, and attack them from behind. That tried and proven “stab them in the back” routine.
Now whilst that’s all a very human response to a wrong, it’s not the best response. It’s not the response that God is looking for.
Galatians 6:1 Brothers and sisters, someone in your group might do something wrong. You who are following the Spirit should go to the one who is sinning. Help make that person right again, and do it in a gentle way. But be careful, because you might be tempted to sin too.
When someone wrongs us, responding with gentleness isn’t always the first thing that springs to mind. And yet, it’s the godly response. When someone does something wrong, the motivation that should be in our hearts, is the same motivation that God had in His heart, when He sent Jesus to die for us.
That motivation should be, to make that person right again; to bring them back into the fold. And by far, the best way to do that, is in a gentle way.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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Berni Dymet
Absolutely Isabel. Sometimes, people just won’t listen. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be ...
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Absolutely Isabel. Sometimes, people just won’t listen. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be gentle. And yes, if they don’t listen, the best thing to do is to step back and pray. In fact by praying, you are already doing the single, most powerful thing that you can possible do. 🙂 Berni
Isabel
Hi Berni Yes I do agree with what you say here and so is Galatians 6.1 very true to live that way. But sometimes even ...
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Hi Berni
Yes I do agree with what you say here and so is Galatians 6.1 very true to live that way. But sometimes even speaking gentil to restore such a one, well might not help. I have to say sometimes it’s better to just walk away and pray for them. I do understand what you are teaching here Berni and what a beautiful world this would be if we all did as God’s word says. Thank you for all you do to bringing the Word of God to many lives here and around the world. May God bless you, your Minestry and all whom you love.
In Christ alone.
Isabel
Shalom