Gentleness

"Jesus said, 'My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.'  Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him.  One of the men with Jesus pulled out a sword and slashed off an ear of the high priest's servant.  'Put away your sword,' Jesus told him.  'Those who use the sword will be killed by the sword.  Don't you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us and he would send them instantly?  But if I did, how would the scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?'"  Matthew 26:50-54

As the tires spun wildly, the truck made absolutely no forward progress.  The snow and ice were not impressed with horsepower or towing capacity.  As the tires began to smoke, I caught myself saying, "Gentle ... gentle ... gentle"  Why?  Simply, the faster the tires spun the less traction they had.  The power needed to be restrained.

In our verses for the day, we see this same principle at work.  Jesus, the powerful Creator of all, demonstrated gentleness.  Gentleness is not weakness.  It is strength under control.  Could you imagine being dragged away and brutally murdered all the while knowing you could stop it instantly, but choose not to?  Jesus did.  There was far more at stake than his physical life and he knew it.

I wonder how many of us today have smoking tires.  What situations or relationships are we attempting to force our will instead of surrender our will to God?  The result? ... No forward progress.  Consider Jesus' words in Matthew 5:5, "God blesses those who are gentle and lowly, for the whole earth will belong to them."
     
Grace and Peace,

Tom
Location: Fall Creek Christian Church, 1102 West 700 South, Pendleton, IN 46064, USA

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