The first thing that comes to mind when I think of gentleness is a picture of my Grammie. Everything I remember about her is gentle – her voice, her smile, her movements, her words. When I was young she seemed fragile and delicate. My granddad had the strength and the resolve. But now I understand her strength. As a Pastor's wife living on a modest salary, Grammie raised five children. She ministered alongside Grandad and worked incredibly hard. She loved to garden and would dig and plant and prune. She made all her own clothes and would even visit department stores and examine the quality clothing to come home and reproduce it for herself.

All of her children live for the Lord today, four of them in full-time ministries. Gentleness was a fruit of her walk with the Lord. She would quote Scripture:

"A gentle answer turns away wrath." Proverbs 15:1.

Lower your Voice, Raise Gentle Children

As a teacher, I have learned over the years that our natural tendency when dealing with children is to raise our voice above the noise so that our instruction can be heard. However, that goal is only achieved when we lower our voice so that their voices need to stop to hear what we are saying Gentleness...

The smallest touch teaches gentleness. How many times do we wipe hands and mouths of little ones after they eat? Cold weather is setting in and we have already had our first round of the "bug" it seems – how many times are we wiping little noses? Are we gentle? I see lots of little ones flinch as mom approaches with the wiping cloth Gentleness...

Little ones need to be trained to be gentle. Our grandson is still very small, but we have discovered he has a powerful pitch – his parents are teaching him to be gentle. He will hear what they are saying, but he will learn what they model.

Feel Gentle, Be Gentle

December is such a busy month. Slow down and think this about ways to teach and talk gentleness – when you decorate the tree, when you wrap gifts. Be deliberate this season, take time to sit on the floor with your children and just be gentle with them – kindly, not harsh, easily managed, not steep but gradual, as the dictionary defines.

Like the Shepherd who gently cradles His sheep, we need to slow down, and handle our families with gentleness. It takes work – to be gentle we need to feel gentle. To feel gentle we need to be confident in our walk with the Lord.

Start your day with a prayer for gentleness. When I am able to take what I know in my head to be true – I am loved, forgiven, and adored by a gracious God – and make it part of my emotion, my heart – then I am able to respond and behave gently to those around me.

Check back each week for more articles. Sign up for our free Treasures of Encouragment monthly ezine. It will alert you when we post new material throughout the sight.