Gentle

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A gentle voice. A gentle touch. A gentle breeze. I feel calmer already, simply thinking about those gentle things.

Too often, when we want something to change, we think of loud things to say or forceful things to do, when a gentle approach would be more effective.

Philippians 4:5 teaches us to be anxious for nothing. Anxious for nothing — that sounds like a peaceful way to live. The verse teaches us to pray with thanksgiving about everything. It says to let God know our requests.

In the verse just before that, Paul says:

Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. 
Philippians 4:5

This verse has prompted me to think for a few days about writing about:

gentle

Last night I looked for some verses about gentle. It is really a very powerful word.

A gentle answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger.
Proverbs 15:1

Blessed are the gentle,
for they shall inherit the earth.
Matthew 5:5

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

Wrath turned away, inheriting the earth, rest for our souls — gentle is really a powerful word, much more powerful than it sounds at first.

Not knowing what I would find, I typed gentle into the Library of Congress photo site. What I found was a huge surprise.

Here’s the caption:

Teachers shock students at George Washington University, Washington, D.C., August 2, [1938]. Public speaking students at G.W.U. are only too well acquainted with the shocking machine, invented by Dr. Willard Hayes Yeater, head of the department, to take the “ahs,” “ers,” and “ums” out of their diction. He is shown putting on the shocker to Jane Hampton, 17. When the student makes a mistake, the professor at the other end of the room notifies her by a gentle electric shock.

Hmmm. I don’t think a “gentle electric shock” is what homeschooling mamas want to be using today. Other kinds of gentleness though — God says that has great results.

Who among you is wise and understanding?
Let him show by his good behavior
his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.
James 3:13

 

 

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