October 7, 2026

Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength.” — Saint Francis de Sales

I have chased these Fruits of the Spirit as if they were buried treasures.  I know I follow the teachings of Jesus already.  And the Ten Commandments.  Jesus lived and demonstrated his lessons as life stories, training for righteous living.  The Ten Commandments are both ‘to do’ and ‘not to do’ lists. All this wisdom works together to show us how to live in relationship with our brothers and sisters, to hear God, obey Him and mature in our faith. 

The Fruits of the Spirit help us live using the kind of love and consideration for others that Jesus specifically asked us to develop.  Love, kindness, goodness, peace, patience, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control meld within us, creating a pathway that draws others to our lifestyle.  They also are more relevant to God and His call on our lives.

Gentleness means the quality of being kind, tender, or mild-mannered.  Strong people throughout history have been quick to point out the strength found in gentleness.  Jesus used a most gentle approach when He confronted the men who caught a woman in the act of adultery.  Such wisdom to tell the one without sin to cast the first stone!  He was Jesus!  He heard directly from God, so lying was not an option. 

Gentle hands.  Gentle love.  Gentle soap.  Even Wall Street knows how and when to push our buttons.  Imagine you must teach someone, hire someone, or even fire someone.  A gentle approach can make any traumatic encounter life changing in the best way.  Point out every positive attribute you can.  Maybe tell them the arrangement isn’t working at the moment but there is great potential. 

Lord God, Help me plant Your Fruits of the Spirit deep in my heart.  I want to search for these characteristics until they become second nature and they are the only tools I need when I am relating to my fellow human beings.  Love is only the beginning when it comes to Your commandment. Not only did You teach us to love God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our strength, but also to love everyone else in the same way we love ourselves. Let Your light shine in me so that I reflect Your love back to all the world.

Paul’s Final Instructions

But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.  1 Timothy 6:11