Be Gentle With Others

DAILY VITAMIN
- Be Gentle With Others
"I THEREFORE, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to and beg you to walk (lead a life) worthy of the [divine] calling to which you have been called [with behavior that is a credit to the summons to God's service, Living as becomes you] with complete lowliness of mind (humility) and meekness (unselfishness, gentleness, mildness), with patience, bearing with one another and making allowances because you love one another." (Ephesians 4:1-2 AMP)
      There is a virtue in Christ that made Him very popular beyond the miracles and signs He did. It outshone situations through Him beyond the shadows of the religious leaders; and made of Him a person everyone considered to run to in times of trouble- regardless of sort. And it was His gentle touch towards all situations.
      Jesus was a man who judged never by appearance but righteousness, as He taught (John 7:24). Jesus wasn't in any way judgmental, but was in all ways considerate and compassionate. To the adulteress, He was a man who could have picked up a stone to condemn her for who she was, but set her free for whom she could be. To the leper, He was a man who could have avoided him for his condition, but engaged him to change it. To the Syrophoenician, He was a man who was in every right to dispel her, but decided to deliver her. Jesus didn't judge or applaud men as other men did; He gave remark for who they really were. And in real time, other than through the gift of discernment by the Spirit, only a gentle focused approach to matters can produce truth in reality. The world may be rash, but not you child of God (see Colossians 3:13).
      I see a lot of believers that are avoided when the need for counsel comes up. But is that surprising? Of course not. No one returns to a person who shut them up multiple times. Humans are beyond just being animals; they are emotional and higher in the abilities for interrelationships. And Jesus understood this; even Paul. He says to save the Jews, I would be like the jews; to save the Greek, I would be like the Greek (1 Corinthians 9:20-22). Paul was in no wise saying that he would break or compromise the principle of God's Word in an attempt to save a few; rather he meant like Christ he wouldn't judge the few based on their antecedents but on the future the love of God has afforded them. And so sees them in the same light he sees himself. He would treat them as he would desire to be.
     Remember, no believer was ever given the ministry of condemnation; we all have received only the call to reconcile (2 Corinthians 5:18). Leave the judgment part for God; simply correct and lead them to change in love as is your duty in Christ (Galatians 6:1). And this is how you prove it: "Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind). And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32 AMP)

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I thank you because you have called me to walk in the light of Christ. And just as He was with people, you have also given me capacity by the Spirit to do the same; thereby drawing multitudes into the light of your love, in Jesus Name. Amen