Welcome to Sunday Fuel! This series of questions is designed to assist your personal reflection and fellowship with others about the sermon from this past Sunday.
Pastor Francis highlighted 3 important truths about gentleness:
- Gentleness is not mere niceness or a personality trait, but something that God must supernaturally produce in us.
- Gentleness is not the same as indifference or inaction, but doing the right thing in the right way.
- Gentleness is not weakness, but strength under control, guided by love, and rightly applied for the good of others.
Would you describe a lack of gentleness as the general tenor of your interactions with others? Or who is a particular person you struggle being gentle with? Keep either of these in mind as you work through the following.
Reflect on God’s Gentleness Towards You (Matt. 7:1-2): Do I see God rightly?
- How have you made yourself judge over others and crossed the line from making wise judgments to becoming judgmental? Instead of walking alongside others in their immaturity, weakness or sin, in what ways have you elevated yourself over them? What “measure” have you used?
- Meditate on how God has treated you in your immaturity, weakness, or sin. Rehearse the ways He has shown gentleness to you through the gospel and/or through other believers.
- Pray that you might pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness and gentleness (1 Tim. 6:11) in your relationships.
Evaluate Yourself in Regards to Gentleness (Matt. 7:3-5a): Do I see myself rightly?
- In your elevated view of yourself, what “logs” have you been blind to? Ask God to reveal them to you. Are you more grieved at their sin than your own?
- Take some time to confess these “logs” to the Lord and ask Him to show you another way to walk with them. Pray that as He removes these logs from your eyes, your vision will improve so that you can be of help, not hurt, to this person.
Consider a New Way of Relating (Matt. 7:5b): Do I see my brother/sister rightly?
Pastor Francis pointed out that gentleness does not mean we simply stop at taking out the logs and avoid saying the hard things. However, a spirit of gentleness means that we will take the time to consider the manner in which we share them. It actually requires supernatural strength to exercise gentleness in the midst of frustration or anger.
- Take time to consider that we do not deal with problems—we’re dealing with a person. Consider this quote from John Newton shared at the end of the sermon:
“If you account him a believer, though greatly mistaken in the subject of debate between you…deal gently with him for my sake. The Lord loves him and bears with him; therefore you must not despise him or treat him harshly. The Lord bears with you likewise and expects that you should show tenderness to others from a sense of the forgiveness you much need yourself…. In a little while you will meet in heaven; he will then be dearer to you than the nearest friend you have upon earth is to you now. Anticipate that period in your thoughts, and though you may find it necessary to oppose his errors, view him personally as a kindred soul, with whom you are to be happy in Christ forever.”
What ideas in this quote help you to shift your focus when dealing with this person?
- Can you precisely pinpoint the wrong that needs to be addressed with this person? Step back and recall the many other good things God is doing in them. Put this issue in light of God’s greater story he is writing in their lives.
- In light of this person’s good, well-being and continued growth in Christ, how might you approach this “speck”? If eye surgery requires gentleness, sensitivity, skill, precision, and slowness, consider these possible angles from Scripture:
- If Jesus is gentle with bruised reeds and smoldering wicks (Matt. 12:20), how might his example help you reconsider how you minister to others? How might the image of a nursing mother (1 Thess. 2:7) help you?
- What might it look like to skillfully teach or gently correct them in a posture of service (2 Tim. 2:24-25)? How might this end goal change the words you use, your tone of voice or actions? What might a gentle answer (Prov. 15:1) look like?
- Reflect on Eph. 4:1-3. In what ways do you need to be patient and proceed with slowness? What things will require time to change? Will you commit to being faithful to walking alongside with them, side by side, as they change?
