The Strength of Gentleness

Society often looks down on quiet, meek-seeming people as if their nature showed weakness. A quick-temper and flapping tongue boasts of strength, but it is nothing more than a flashy show of childishness. A soft-spoken person is anything but weak. It requires a great deal of strength and self-control to maintain a spirit of gentleness. A calm person is not complacent, but rather in control of their body and their actions. They are firm and unyielding in their dealings with other people.

My former boss carried such a beautiful, quiet and gentle spirit with her everywhere she went and I'll never forget her soft, yet non-negotiable voice. Every so often the ladies would organize a "Ladies Night Out" and we'd meet at a restaurant around town for dinner. On one particular evening, we had chosen a little, quaint Italian restaurant. Our party must have had near twenty guests and the waiter began to explain that he had to put everything on one check and that he could not split it for each of us. Without batting an eye, she replied, "No. You can split it and you will." Our waiter, slightly flabbergasted, attempted to tell her he could not split the checks and started spouting off computer reasons. She offered a small smile and repeated herself. "You can split it." He sputtered and gestured and again attempted to make a speech about being unable to split the check. She looked him straight in the eye and said, "You can split the check. You will split the check. Do not worry, you will get your tip; split the check."

Not once did she ever raise her voice. Not once did she lose her small smile. She never gave a hint of annoyance, nor did she complain about the waiter or the check. Her tone was so matter of fact that you simply could not argue with her, because she didn't argue. She made a simple statement and repeated it over and over. What composure! I remember feeling frazzled and frustrated with the waiter and panicking about how we were going to pay our bill correctly with so many ladies eating out together. She simply did not take no for an answer, nor did she let it ruin her evening. She maintained her cheerful disposition throughout the entire exchange.

And yes, our waiter did split our check.

1 Peter 3:4 says, " . . . the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight." You see, God cares about how we conduct ourselves and how we treat other people. Self-control and kindness are just two of the fruits of the Spirit, and these two are essential to maintaining a gentle and quiet spirit. This, then, is how we ought to live. Colossians 3:12 says, "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

Use your ears and listen to your voice. Think on your actions and what you do with your hands and your facial expressions. Does the world see the gentleness of Christ in you?