Gentleness and Greatness

​How you ever thought about what makes a person great?

How you ever thought about what makes a person great?


Jesus said in Matthew 20:25-26 that great people in God’s Kingdom are the ones who serve. “But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not so among you, but whosoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant.”


Servanthood is a significant sign of greatness according to God’s Word. Humble service makes men and women great in God’s eyes.


In Psalm 18:35 we read another truth that makes you and me great.


“Thou has given me the shield of Thy salvation, and Thy right hand upholds me; AND THY GENTLENESS MAKES ME GREAT.” Psalm 18:35


In his day, David was a great man. David had a heart for God, serving the Lord and God’s people all his life. Before he was anointed king over the nation of Israel, the shepherd boy David slew giant Goliath. King David was a mighty warrior and courageous leader who never lost a battle to Israel’s arch enemies the Philistines.


King David exuded greatness among the Israeli people. Psalm 18, penned by David, is a song of praise for God’s deliverance from enemies. David extols God’s delivering power and exalts His name for rescuing him time and time again. Then, in verse 35, after saying that God has shielded David with His salvation and that God’s right hand upholds him, David declares “And Thy gentleness makes me great.”


Sometimes God’s Word just reaches deep down into your spirit and grabs you! This phrase grabbed me and will not let me go. Do you see what I see?


David said he was great because of God’s gentleness.


God’s gentleness made David great. The mantle of greatness was David’s because of gentleness from God.


Usually, when we think of great men and women, we think of awesome abilities, personal charisma, power and influence. God does indeed empower His people through the Holy Spirit to do mighty spiritual exploits in His name. But gentleness and greatness?


David attributed his greatness to God’s gentleness.
I am blessed with a son, daughter and four precious grandchildren. I remember with fondness and happiness the days when they were newborns and young children. I would spend as much time as possible with them.


As babies, I hugged them up, gently cradling them close to my heart. A soft, caring, compassionate touch from grandpa (they call me Doodah now) always produced a smile on their angelic faces worth a trillion dollars for Doodah! As well as a huge smile in this old man’s heart.    


People of all ages, not just newborn babies, need to receive gentleness from Christians.


We who know Christ possess the gentleness of God that works in our heart and makes us great servants. In Galatians 5:22-23, gentleness is listed as one of the nine fruit of the Spirit. Many believers strive to bear the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience…but what about gentleness and then of course, the last one on the list, self-control?   


Our brokenhearted, sin-sick, lost world lacks a gentle touch. Let’s face it: life without Christ is hard and cruelly harsh.


The devil knows no gentleness. Roughness, toughness, harshness, and cruelty causes people to become hardened and bitter. As a crisis counselor, I see too many people who are emotionally and sometimes physically bruised, battered and beaten up by harsh words and hard-hearted actions from others.


My friends and fellow Christians, where will hurting people receive a gentle touch unless God’s people who know God’s gentleness share His gentleness with them through serving them?


Please be gentle with God’s gentleness.  Be a great person in the lives of people you know, love and serve by being gentle.


Be gentle with your words and deeds. Make gentleness, compassion, mercy and lovingkindness the marks of your witness, service and ministry to people.


When tempted to be hard or harsh, do not be that way. Choose to be gentle. When someone has been harsh toward you, do not respond in kind. Return gentleness for their harshness. When you have opportunity to show a fellow human being the gentler side of life, show it. When you can soften the hard edge of someone’s situation, go ahead and do it.


Something to think about: God has been gentle with us. Shouldn’t we who bear His name be gentle with people for whom Christ died and rose again so they could find forgiveness and live forever? Just a thought.


Would it not be awesome if people would say of you and me: There goes a great person because they are a gentle servant of Jesus Christ?


Who do you know that needs the gentleness of God through you today?


“Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth.”  Matthew 5:5      


“Come to Me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.”   Matthew 11:28-30
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A Word For Your Week: If you want to be great…be gentle.