Five-Minute Study: Biblical Example Paul

GENTLENESS
Showing consideration and personal concern for others

BIBLICAL EXAMPLE— PAUL I Thessalonians 2:7-12

In his first letter to the Thessalonians the Apostle Paul uses the image of a mother and a father to express his attitude toward the Thessalonian believers. In verse 7 he writes As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. And then in verse 11 and 12 he says For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

These parental images communicate the deep commitment, consideration and personal concern for the children. A good parent is thoughtful of his children; is attentive to them; seeks to comfort and encourage when necessary; treats them with respect; does not annoy them. These descriptors can be summed up in the character quality of gentleness.

By using these images of parents, Paul communicates to the Thessalonians that he, Silas and Timothy seek to treat other believers the way a good parent treats his children.

GENTLENESS IN OUR LIVES—

Some practical evidences of gentleness we can see in our lives today are seen in the following “I will” statements:

I will show good manners.
I will reject violence as a solution to my problems.
I will look for ways to ease the pain of others.
I will not annoy or irritate others.
I will be a peacemaker.

Divide into pairs and discuss:

Think of the gentleness of a good parent. Describe the effect that this gentleness has on a child. (Some possible answers: he is secure, confident, peaceful, able to be gentle with others, etc.)
Do you think these same effects can be seen when believers are gentle with each other? Why or why not?
What kind of situations tempt us to be inconsiderate and not show personal concern? (Some possible answers: when we are under pressure or in a hurry, when we feel personally threatened, when others are rude to us, etc.)

GENTLENESS IN MY LIFE THIS WEEK—

Spend 3 minutes in personal reflection:

Some personalities find it easier to be gentle than others do; they just naturally are thoughtful of others. On a scale from 1-5 (1 being very difficult to be gentle and 5 being very easy to be gentle) rate yourself.
If you find yourself at a ”3” or below, what will you do this week to grow in gentleness? Ask a trusted friend to hold you accountable.
If you find yourself at a “4” or “5”, express gratefulness to God for this strength in your life. There are undoubtedly specific situations in which you find it more challenging to be gentle. Identify one of these and write down how you want to respond the next time the situation arises. Ask a trusted friend to hold you accountable.