I have a baby that doesn’t like to lie in her bed, until her soft, fuzzy blanket touches her face. Then she pops in her thumb, rolls on her side, clutches her blankie and sleeps away.

That blankie is tangible gentleness. It is soft. It is comfort. It is soothing.
Gentleness is like that in the Christian. Gentleness is soft. It is comfort. It is soothing.

It is a masculine quality necessary for one to serve as an elder in the Lord’s church. It is a feminine quality that is precious in the sight of God.

“The imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God” (1 Pet 3:4).

So what does that look like in a woman?

I think this is an important conversation to have because our post-modern, feminist culture equates gentleness in a woman with weakness. A woman who doesn’t assert herself, stand up for her rights and go toe to toe with men is deemed weak.

“The thing women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power. You just take it.” — Roseanne Barr

But to our creator, that isn’t so. He says, “The woman named Folly is loud and brash. She is ignorant and doesn’t even know it” (Prov. 9:13).

Gentleness isn’t weak. It is a fruit of the Spirit. That fruit is rotten if it looks:

• Loud
• Abrasive
• Overbearing
• Domineering

On the flip side, when we embody gentleness it looks like:

• A listening ear
• A warm embrace
• Refuge
• Soft words

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov. 15:1).

We show God to others when we bear the fruit of gentleness.

Serena DeGarmo
www.awordywoman.com