Gentle Yet Powerful
If we learned nothing else from the recently-held Called General Conference in the United Methodist Church, it is this: that we have been, and remain divided over the issue of human sexuality. Since 1972, it has come up at every General Conference. It would seem that no matter how long we debate, a clear path forward is difficult to see.
A story that was read this week helped illustrate where God wants us to be. It was about the way in which Anne Frank and her family bravely prepared for the invasion that was before them. They would end up having to move into a secret hiding place to escape danger. They hid for two years during World War II before being found and sent to concentration camps. Anne, from her famous Diary of a Young Girl, proposes this truth: “In the long run, the sharpest weapon of all is a kind and gentle spirit.”
“Gentleness” can be complicated when dealing with real life. The shepherds took care of their flocks with “gentleness,” but if you’ve ever tried to herd sheep, you know that shepherds must hold many attributes in tension: gentle, but also strong; yielding, but also demanding. Jesus was the same way. He flipped money tables over in the temple when money-changers were making the temple a place of swindling. Jesus denounced the pharisees for trying to attack, mock and challenge His authority. This same Jesus would also be the one to forgive a woman who needed His gentle mercy. (John 8:1-11, as an example, with the adulterous woman)
In life, especially when agreement can be difficult to achieve, there are times when our faith demands we stand up to power and stand up for truth. Equally, there are times when faith demands we stand up to challenge others to pursue justice. In all of life’s spaces and tensions, Scripture gives a clear command: to let our gentleness be evident to all. Energy can be felt from all sides as our denomination navigates through the waters of debate, dialogue and discernment. But no matter whether you align, either with a more conservative, progressive or centrist view, Scripture leaves us a very clear commission. We are to be able to disagree with civility. We are to be able to speak truth in love.
Christ’s character reveals a call to be “gentle” as we sort through our differences: together. We can have different opinions, and we do! But we stand in a unique position to model for the world a Christ-likeness in how we handle conflict, how we communicate (speaking, listening and praying) and especially how we “love one another.” In serving God, sometimes our greatest strengths will reveal a heart of gentleness to those in need. Gentleness can help us make a point without making an enemy.
Philippians 4:5 says, “Let your gentleness be evident to all.”
Today, even in life’s tough, heated or caustic moments, in what ways can you reflect a gentleness others need to see? How can you speak your truth, hear the truth of others and still remain open to God’s will? How can you make the case that’s in your heart while still allowing your gentleness to be evident to all?
By the Rev. Tommy Herndon
Image: Adobe iStock
