prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others, and you can become a leader among men." Charles Haddon Spurgeon also wrote: While preaching on John 13:14, the duty of disciples to wash one another's feet, Mr. Finlayson of Helmsdale observed, "One way in which disciples wash one another's feet is by reproving one another. But the reproof must not be couched in angry words, so as to destroy the effect nor in tame, so as to fail of effect. Just as in washing a brother's feet, you must not use boiling water to scald, nor frozen water to freeze them."  This is a good example of how to balance rebuke and reproof when trying to help brothers in the Lord or enemies alike.  1Pe 3:15   But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

Wearing Away

Under the headline "Gear Blamed in Crash that Killed Senator," the April 29, 1992 issue of the Chicago Tribune reported, "A stripped gear in the propeller controls of a commuter plane caused it to nosedive into the Georgia woods last April, killing former U.S. Senator John Tower of Texas and 22 others, the government concluded Tuesday.

"A gear that adjusted the pitch of the left engine's propellers was slowly worn away by an opposing part with a harder titanium coating, the National Transportation Safety Board said.

"'It acted like a file, and over time it wore down the teeth that controlled the propeller,' said acting board chairman Susan Coughlin."

Like the titanium-coated gear that wore away the softer gear engaged to it, so one abrasive, unkind spouse or friend can wear away the spirit of another.

The Bible says that two man can sharpen one another.  We can either use the sharpening stone of the Word of God and truth to sharpen one another, or we can hammer and file away at one another and have the opposite effect.  A gentle spirit sharpens others instead of making them dull and useless.

The Full Vessel

On one occasion a nurse in one of the London hospitals complained to the Chaplain-General to the forces that she had been rudely treated by some patients. "Thank God for that," was the reply. "What do you mean?" asked the astonished nurse. "Why," said the Bishop, "if you are carrying a vessel and somebody knocks up against you, you can only spill out of the vessel what is inside. And when people misjudge and persecute us, we can only spill what is inside. In the case of a godless man, he will probably swear. But if you are filled with the Holy Ghost, you will manifest the gentleness of Christ, and make men astonished."

If we are indeed filled with the Spirit, then the fruit of gentleness will spill over into life and effect others, bringing them closer to a relationship with Christ.

Conclusion

As Christians the fruit of the Spirit will come out in our lives, and one of those fruits is gentleness.  We are to clothe ourselves in the fruit of the Spirit.  It is a conscious choice we make to submit ourselves to Christ and to serve Him and His purposes in our lives rather than giving in to our carnal nature.

Col 3:12   Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion,

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