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Day Nine: Gentleness

Gentleness. Does this mean we need to not roughhouse? Everyone needs to be treated like a flower? When my siblings and I were younger, we were constantly told by our parents that we needed to be gentle with one another, because our siblings are like flowers. But is that what being gentle is like? Is it all physical? 

When I first think of the word "gentle" I think of my childhood. Whenever my siblings and I would roughhouse, my mom would always remind us to be gentle- she would remind my brother that all girls are flowers. So, gentle meant soft, slow, careful. But, when we are commanded to be gentle towards others in our lives, does that only mean that physical carefulness? No, I think there is more to the meaning of the word gentle in this verse. 

God called us to be gentle with others. While we should be careful with what we say or do around others already, it always gets harder when we are angered and feel wronged. We need to be careful with what words or actions pop out as our first response when other emotions want to pop out. Being gentle is more than simply the physical. Our words can come across as "sweet as honey" or harsh and hurtful. We are called, as followers of Christ, to speak kind and gentle words to all those around us, whether we feel they deserve it or not. It's not our place to judge who deserves to have gentle words or not. That is God's place. But, He told us that everyone deserves gentle words. 

I feel like in the three paragraphs above I have repeated quite a few times because, of all of the parts of the Fruit of the Spirit, this one is one of the most simplistic and self-explainable. We need to be gentle with our words and actions to others, not matter what. 

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