09-16-20

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 16, 2020
Scripture: James 3:13
Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.

Thought for the Day: I pray that you have known someone whose works were done with a gentleness born of wisdom. I’ve known some people whose gentleness was born of foolishness. It was a gentleness without purpose or direction. There are some who would point to Jesus and suggest his gentleness was foolishness as it got him killed. But it was foolishness only from the standpoint of those who had no appreciation of self-giving love. Could Jesus have raised an army, used intimidation and threats of violence and smear campaigns to achieve his goal? Some would say, “Sure!” But their wrong! The goal Jesus was seeking, the Kingdom of God, had to be fully manifest in the methods and tools utilized. Acts of gentleness, born out of wisdom and done for the sake of God’s Kingdom, are some of the most beautiful and life-changing experiences. Years ago, I spent some time at Koinoina Farms, a wonderful ministry in Georgia. At the time, the world was in a heightened state of anxiousness and fear. One of the people living at Koinonia Farms was a man who specialized in conflict resolution, and he walked us through some exercises that made me, not only aware of his gentle spirit, but an experience of Shalom – that wonderful Biblical word that means peace, harmony and wholeness. His gentleness was full of wisdom, for he was seeking the Kingdom of God. And because his methods embodied the Kingdom of God, he created a Kingdom moment. I pray that you have known such moments.

Prayer: Being wise and being gentle are hard enough by themselves, yet you have invited them to be fully present and together within me. Holy God, let your gentleness born of wisdom reside within me for the sake of your Kingdom. Amen.

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