GENTLENESS —THE WINSOME FRUIT

A gentle spirit is one of the keys to success with people. It can make all the difference in how open others are to our opinions and ideas. Jesus is pictured in the Bible as a lamb, a mother

1 hen, and a gentle, concerned shepherd. He said of

2 3 Himself, “I am gentle and lowly in heart.” He didn't

4 force anyone to believe in or follow Him; He showed compassion, and gently wooed people into His heavenly kingdom by His loving example.

If you want to win friends and win others to the Lord, follow His example. “Be gentle and kind to

5 everyone.” “Are any of you wise or sensible? Then

6 show it by living right and by being humble and wise in everything you do.”

7 If this sounds easier said than done, don't worry. God can help each of us to be more like Jesus in this respect, too, if we let His Holy Spirit work through us. Rafael Holding is a writer in Australia. “Gentleness—The Winsome Fruit” is adapted from the Get Activated book God’s Gifts, available from Aurora’s online store (http:// shop.auroraproduction.com/).