Having a gentle spirit or being a gentle person is described in the Bible as gentleness. This post will discover what the Holy Bible says about true gentleness and the best way to live it out in the world today.
In the New Testament book of Galatians, the apostle Paul writes a letter to the church (the followers of the Way of Christ) who are staying in a place called Galatia. Paul describes to the people how to live God’s way.
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In one particular passage, he describes this using the metaphor of fruit. Paul is saying that the life of Jesus-followers will lead to spiritual growth and, at the right time, it will produce certain fruit.
The idea of a person’s life bearing bad or good fruit (like a plant) was not entirely new. Jesus Himself taught that those who follow Him need to be grafted in with Him, like a branch on a vine (John 15).
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He also taught that “You will know these people because of what they do. Good things don’t come from people who are bad, just as grapes don’t come from thornbushes, and figs don’t come from thorny weeds.” (Matthew 7:16 ERV)
Jesus was essentially saying that good behavior and good conduct come from good people. Furthermore, those who experience Jesus and walk in step with the Holy Spirit will bear good fruit in their lives.
So, when Paul writes about the Fruit of the Spirit, he builds on this same concept.
What are the Fruits of the Spirit?
Following the same trend, the Fruit of the Spirit says that there are certain things that will pop up in the lives of those who follow the Holy Spirit of God. To follow the Spirit just means to become still, spend time in God’s Word, and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in your life decisions.
This is what Paul said in the Bible:
“But the fruit that the Spirit produces in a person’s life is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control.” – Galatians 5:22-23 ERV
A wonderful benefit of thinking of gentleness as a fruit is that your own strength does not produce it. A plant produces fruit naturally in the right (healthy) environment, but if you place that same plant in a tense situation it will not bear fruit.
What is the spirit of gentleness?
The spirit of gentleness (also described as the spirit of meekness) is a particularly special gift of the Holy Spirit. When we talk about the spirit of gentleness, we are not saying that gentleness is a spiritual being that comes onto you. It is just a manner of speech and it can be a little confusing, so this is important to take note of.
In this sense, it’s important to remember there are 2 interpretations of the word ‘spirit’: 1. A spiritual being or presence, like the Holy Spirit for example. 2. A characteristic of a person, like saying ‘kindred spirits’ or ‘she is spirited’ for example. When people talk about the spirit of gentleness, they are using the second interpretation of ‘spirit’. It is a character trait or way of doing something.
Best ways to live out gentleness from the Bible
A person with the character trait of gentleness may be described as having:
mildness of temper (a gentle person is not prone to outbursts of anger, they are calm)
inner peace (a gentle person is not pulled in many directions, they are centered)
a soft tongue (a gentle person is not harsh or abusive, they are kind or softspoken)
much time (a gentle person is not in a hurry, they are present in the moment)
a soft answer (a gentle person is not stirring up anger, they are peacemakers)
compassionate hearts (a gentle person is not cruel, they are caring and loving)
How to become a gentle person
These practical points above offer some of the best ways to nurture the fruit of gentleness to grow in your life. If you want to become a gentle person you can do so by focusing on the points given here.
Practice self-control and peace by counting to 10 or asking for a minute to gather your composure when you get upset.
Make a mindmap of your own life goals and purposes and link it to your identity in Christ to become more centered.
Learn to hold your tongue, stop cursing, and pray that God will put a guard in front of your mouth (Psalm 141).
Tune into your five senses and become more present in each moment. Practice mindfulness and meditation.
Next time someone upsets you, pause and consider how you can make peace and resolve the issue.
Do not think only of your own interests, but be intentional to think about what other people might need.
By applying these six practical points to your life, you can set yourself up to become a gentle person. However obvious it might sound, it must be said that you should take a gentle approach with yourself when trying to cultivate the fruit of gentleness. The best place to learn gentleness is by spending time with God. It is like the saying goes, ‘we become what we behold’; and God is the ultimate example of gentleness.
Perhaps you are still wondering, why should we strive to be gentle anyway. The personality trait of gentleness is admirable – but not always because of its outward appearance… It might even be mistaken for being timid, shy, or afraid. Someone who is gentle might seem passive, weak, or reserved.
The unexpected truth about gentleness
There is an unexpected aspect of gentleness that stands out from what we’ve discovered so far. Gentleness in the Bible is not just an admirable quality for the sake of being a good person – there is much more to it… Even though it does not seem like it, gentle people are usually the strongest people! It is captured beautifully by this quote:
“Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong.”
― Lao Tzu
This quote indicates how what is soft is actually very powerful. People who are gentle are able to get a lot done, especially in circumstances that are hard to navigate. They flow, like water, through the obstacles and path a way forward where it seemed impossible before. They are not passive peacekeepers, they are active peacemakers who skillfully navigate complicated matters in pursuit of justice.
photo by Leo Rivas on unsplash
Gentleness in the Bible as quiet strength
A gentle person’s good conscience and gentle heart motivate them to be genuinely invested in the interests of others. They carry great strength because they are not often a stumbling block to other people – They don’t have long lists of enemies and are not stirring up conflict. Those few people who have tended to their minds, souls, and hearts so that they can produce the fruit of gentleness, have unlocked an amazing gift.
The quiet spirit of someone who carries God’s gentleness might not be loud and in your face. It’s a gentle answer, a gentle whisper, a gentle tongue, a few gentle words… They carry all the Fruits of the Spirit because they spend time in God’s presence and those fruits flow out in their life. Their lives are full of…
love that transcends boundaries and preconceived ideas
joy that connects people and celebrates life as a gift
peace that helps them navigate tricky relationships
patience that aids the slow process of transformation and change
kindness that is genuine, allowing them to build unlikely friendships
goodness that motivates them to seek justice and fight for what matters
faithfulness that makes them trustworthy to keep their promises
& self-control that ensures that they finish what they started
These are the secondary good fruits that spring up in the life of a gentle person. All of these fruits describe why a gentle person is also a strong person. The Bible is chock-full of many more stories and verses where gentleness is described as an attribute that we should strive to have. Let’s discover a few of them together.
photo by Ben White on Unsplash
More Bible verses about gentleness
The gentleness of God
“He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” – Isaiah 40:11
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” – Matthew 11:29
We should be gentle too
“Let your gentleness be evident to all.” – Philippians 4:5
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” – Colossians 3:12
Why gentleness works
“A gentle word turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” – Proverbs 15:1
“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” – 1 Peter 3:15
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Resources:
– The full Lao Tzu quote was obtained from goodreads.com
– Only the verses at the end of this post were obtained using a list from biblestudytools.com
Eljoh Hartzer is combining theology and art to nurture faith journeys across generations. She is a Masters-level Practical Theologian with the University of Stellenbosch. She is also a writer and editor in the niche of Christianity and children's content and she illustrates children's books. Eljoh resides in the Swartland area in the Western Cape province of South Africa.
You can follow Eljoh on LinkedIn or Instagram.
