gentleness | Thoughts About God

The Greatest Words a Child Could Ever Hear

admin — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 07:03:11 +0000

“Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased'” (Luke 3:21-22, ESV).

My father loves this story of Jesus hearing his Father’s words of affirmation and pride. He believes that God actually has the same affection for us. There are even verses to back that up.

Jesus prayed for believers, “that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:23).

Read that last part again. Let it really sink in. God the Father loves you just as much as he loves Jesus. It’s a fact, not mere sentiment or some clever handling of Scripture.

How incredible is that? Scripture even tells us that we are “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). If we are in him, then we are perpetually being loved like the Son, and that love is extravagant beyond measure:

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1a).

It wasn’t a huge surprise the other day when I got a text from my dad that said: “I love u son u r a great joy to me.” I sat motionless in my vehicle beside the road, tears brimming, as I experienced a deep awareness of just how much I’m loved by my father and that my Heavenly Father loves me even more.

Then two weeks later, my oldest son, Caleb, nearly blinded my youngest son in one eye. He accidentally poked Isaac in the eye with a big stick. A centimeter higher and Isaac’s eye could have been damaged permanently. It was a mess of blood, screams, and panic. Understandably, Caleb was feeling terrible: “I feel stupid,” he told me with great remorse.

Half an hour later, when my anger had cooled down, I felt a nudge from the Spirit to affirm my oldest son. I invited him outside for a talk and told him, “Son, I love you. No mistake you make, no matter how big, will ever change that. You are a great joy to me.” Immediately, I saw the shame lift off of his shoulders; he stood up straighter. Joy and appreciation filled his eyes.

It all started with that voice from heaven after Jesus’ baptism. My dad never heard such words from his father, but God filled that hole and taught him how to speak those words of life to me. That blessing was contagious. I was empowered to share those words with my son, and my prayer is that by God’s grace, my sons will do the same.

by M. Jantzen
used by permission

FURTHER READING

Security for Children

A Good Dad is “There” for His Children

Speak Faith, not Fear into Your Children

The post The Greatest Words a Child Could Ever Hear appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Let Gentleness Go Before You

Devotionals — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 07:03:11 +0000

“Let your gentle spirit be made known to all men.” Philippians 4:5 (NASB)

We live in a society that is filled with hurting people, many of whom go unnoticed on a regular basis. Have you stopped to take notice of the people around you?

We often get so consumed with meeting the next deadline, competing for the next promotion, or running to our next obligation, that we lose sight of how we treat the people around us. Sadly, our busyness can lead to harshness, critical attitudes, frustration, or just being overwhelmed to the point that we treat the ones we love unfairly.

How many of your relationships are strained because you need to make an attitude adjustment this very moment? It’s time to push pause. Take a deep breath and release the weight of what you have been carrying. Remember, as a born again believer, you have been called to be a light to those around you. People are taking note of your every move. You are to exhibit Christ’s nature that is within. I know we all have our days… but ultimately, Jesus should be seen, not us.

I encourage you today to put on gentleness, even in the midst of those moments of frustration. Slow down and begin to pay attention to what really matters. It is not the to-do lists that are waiting to be tackled. It is the people connected to you. Let gentleness go before you today. The things you accomplish will mean very little if you have no one to share them with.

Father, help us to be mindful today of our attitudes. Help us to pay close attention to the ones we hurt because we are not paying attention to the little things. May our words and our mannerisms be seasoned with grace. May we pause to take time to commune with You in order to receive the love that we need to share with those around us. Lord, let Your love flow through us like never before. In Jesus’ name, amen.

By Mary Pinckney
used by permission

Let Your Gentleness Be Evident to All

Devotionals — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 08:01:06 +0000

How many disasters have been averted because one person refused to buckle under the strain? It’s this kind of composure Paul is summoning when he says, “Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything” (Philippians 4:5-6).

The Greek word translated here as “gentleness” describes a temperament that’s seasoned and mature. It envisions an attitude fitting to the occasion, levelheaded and tempered. This gentleness is “evident to all.” Family members take note. Your friends sense a difference. Coworkers benefit from it.

The gentle person is sober minded and clear thinking. The contagiously calm person is the one who reminds others, “God is in control.” Pursue this gentleness. The Lord is near—you are not alone. You may feel alone. You may think you’re alone. But there is never a moment in which you face life without help. God is near—be anxious for nothing!

By Max Lucado
Used by Permission
From: Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World

To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at: https://maxlucado.com/about-max/

Choosing Gentleness

Devotionals — Mon, 26 Jul 2021 08:03:02 +0000

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” James 3:17 (ESV)

A month ago I went on a much-needed vacation.

I didn’t realize how burnt out I had become until I was on the airplane. Though I didn’t want to talk to anybody, when the immigration forms were passed around — and I realized I was without a pen — I was forced to strike up a conversation with the person sitting next to me. Within moments of our talk, I welled up with tears. And I wept for the rest of the airplane ride.

Gentleness.

I had been living with a “go, go, go” attitude for a long time, making decision after decision, having to be nothing short of strong. Somewhere along the road, I had left tenderness behind. So, when I had a moment to just sit and be still, God allowed me to encounter an individual who flourished with a spirit of gentleness. Through this stranger, I encountered God.

When we abide in God, He lives through us and shows Himself with joy, peace, and kindness, in all of His beauty. Sometimes we can see how God uses us, and at other times, we have no idea how we touch the hearts of those around us who desperately need an encounter with God.

I’m sure this individual had no clue how they touched my spirit, but God sure did. All I want now is to be used in this way as well, and choose to live in gentleness.

Max Lucado says,

“I choose gentleness…. Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.”

Heavenly Father, I long for Your fruit in my life. Today, I choose You and Your ways and ask that You would live in me and through me. May You use me to touch those in my life who need to encounter You. Amen.

By Brigitte Straub
Used by Permission

Fruit of Gentleness

Devotionals — Fri, 21 Aug 2020 08:03:26 +0000

Beloved child of God, listen to your Father’s heart and his ways for you in Galatians 5:22-23,25.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control… Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus said,

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

The gentleness of Jesus was seen in his days on earth with children, with women, with outcasts, and with his quarrelsome band. He invites you to come to his rest when you are weary and burdened. He wants you to take his easy well-fitting yoke made by the Carpenter of Nazareth. He invites you to let him off-load your burden onto himself.

Your Father deals gently with you according to your weakness and ignorance (Hebrews 5:2). The infinite God of the universe has all power and might, but he sees and cares when a sparrow falls. He cares about your tears and puts them in his bottle. His gentle personal attention is beyond comprehension, yet you can gladly receive it.

Gentleness is not weakness. It is the bridled strength of the infinite power of God under his direction. Jesus could have called more than twelve legions of angels to rescue him from the Roman and Jewish authorities, yet he submitted to arrest and crucifixion, because the power of his love chose suffering on the cross for you.

The ultimate picture of the restrained strength of Jesus is in Philippians 2:5-8.

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross!“

Fall on your face before that magnificent portrait of your Savior, and rise to take your position in his humility and meekness.

Gentleness is biblical meekness, a positive quality, and Jesus commended it when he said that the meek will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). He lives the strength of his gentleness in you, so that at all times you can have his attitude of holy gentleness toward others.

Gentleness is linked with humility, as Paul says, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2). God tells you to clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, as you bear with others and forgive their grievances against you as he did (Colossians 3:12-13). He chose you as his holy and dearly loved one to wear gentleness in a way that reflects well on him.

Be blessed with his gentleness in dealing with all people. Be blessed with the gentle answer of Jesus that turns away wrath. Be blessed with being wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove. Be blessed with the wisdom of gentleness that is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere (James 3:17).

Be blessed with the fruit of gentleness that the Spirit produces in you, your appropriate response from his gentle strength (Galatians 5:23).

by Sylvia Gunter
Used by Permission

Learn more about knowing Jesus at: https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws/
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I Dared to Ask

Devotionals — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 09:58:04 +0000

“You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your gentleness made me great.” 2 Samuel 22:36

I just asked my wife what she thought was the scarcest spiritual fruit in my life.

“Gentleness,” she responded graciously. And she’s right. As a father of four boys ranging in age from 2 to 13, I find my patience worn thin repeatedly. I too often respond in anger, foolishly trying to whip them into shape with a verbal lashing. It has yet to bring about any lasting change!

And when I think about it, harsh words have never worked on me, either. Growing up, disconcerting consequences and my parents’ gentle reminders were the only things that helped to change me bit by bit. Similarly, any spiritual fruit I’ve born has been due to God gently teaching me the same lessons again and again until I’ve finally learned, well, some of them. If the gentleness of God makes us great, then one of the best ways to invest in those we love is through gentleness: being patient, kind, and affirming in our words and actions.

Like God has related to us, we must start where people are at and gently encourage them to take the next step. If we rush the process, wanting them to “arrive” now, we may cause them to feel exasperated and defeated. As we come alongside — walking with people, rather than barreling ahead — we will bear much fruit in the good work of discipleship.

Dear Jesus, I need Your patience. Teach me how to lead and instruct with gentleness and kindness. I invite You to deal with my impatience and anger. Please create in me Your heart for the people in my life. Amen.

By M Jantzen

Used by permission
www.thelife.com/dailydevotions

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