Kindness & Gentleness

All of God’s people experience Him differently.  I often experience the Holy Spirit in a conversation, and recently He led me to start posting some of our conversations.  I speak in italics, and our Lord in bold print. click here to read about how this series came to be.

In a world such as ours, how are we to pray?

Pray for kindness.  You live in a world almost devoid of kindness. Do not overcomplicate. Ask me for kindness.  You will be surprised by its power.  The Enemy hates kindness, this simple and powerful picture of an aspect of my character that he would like all to forget. It is kindness that brought the Roman Empire to its knees.  It is kindness that softens the hardest heart.  It is Jesus’ kindness to sinners, to hated tax collectors and unclean prostitutes, that utterly enraged and stupefied the Pharisees and other religious leaders.  Elevate kindness, and pray for it continually.

What is the difference between kindness and gentleness, as fruits of the Spirit?

What do you think?

Kindness is how you treat someone.  Gentleness is the spirit with which you treat someone.

Sort of.  Think of the lion laying down with the lamb, in the Kingdom to come.  Gentleness is not weakness, softness, or lack of power or strength.  It is carrying that power so softly and so lightly that your touch becomes velvet…that the lion’s paw is as soft as cotton, claws retracted and snarl turned into a sweet smile.  There is a sense in the lamb that it lies next to tremendous force and will, but because of the lion’s gentleness this results not in fear but in great peace, security and safety…the kind that allows you to drift into a blissfully serene nap.  This is gentleness.