Editorial July 24, 1926 Issue

Gentleness

Duncan Sinclair

Gentleness is one of the finest of spiritual qualities: there is always spiritual understanding behind it, understanding of the deep things which pertain to God and to man. How wonderfully gentleness was exemplified by Jesus, whose spiritual understanding exceeded that of all other men! It is recorded by Matthew that on a certain occasion, when there were "brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray," his disciples objected; but the beloved Master, with that tenderness which ever characterized him, rebuked the disciples in language which is imperishable: "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." The narrative ends, "And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence."

And did not Paul place this grace of gentleness among the fruits of the Spirit? In his epistle to the Galatians he wrote: "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance"—every one of them a Christian virtue, against which, the apostle said, "there is no law."

Now Christ Jesus is the great Exemplar for all Christians. Not a single word he uttered, not a single deed he performed, not a single trait of his sublime character, can be overlooked by his followers. And if these—his words, his deeds, his character—be examined in detail, it will be found that gentleness or tenderness pervaded every one of them, strengthening them and supporting them. Not only was he entirely free from harshness, but not even a trace of brusqueness, that abruptness of manner so closely allied to rudeness, was to be found in him. What mastery of the lower propensities was his through obedience to God's law, the law of Love!

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