Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength.  Saint Francis de Sales

As I thought about Gentleness, I began to reflect on how I could teach gentleness to my son. I’m a lucky Mum, because Darling Husband is an awesome model of a True Gentle-man. His strength is truly evident in his gentleness towards me, our kids, and the young men and women he leads and trains.

But I didn’t know how to put what I’m feeling into words, so I will use another’s words. Again.

From ‘Gentleness – A Form of Love‘ by Thomas A. Stobie

Gentleness is not unmanly. Remember that Jesus, St. Joseph, St. Francis and Pope John Paul II, President George W. Bush, just to name a few, are all gentle men. Being gentle does not lessen men, rather it is a true characteristic of manhood. Great men tend to be gentle men.

Treating people with gentleness shows them that we value and respect them. Likewise treating things with gentleness, we show others and God, that we want to take care of what with we have been entrusted and that we desire to leave it to others in good condition.

Gentleness is a way of life, showing our love in how we interact with people and things. Like any way of life, gentleness has to be practiced for us to become more gentle. If we want to become more gentle, we must take active steps, that is (1) choosing to be more gentle, (2) keeping this resolution in mind, (3) acting in gentleness, and (4) catching ourselves when we are not gentle so that we can be more aware of our gentleness or lack of gentleness in the future.

May Timothy have wisdom from above that is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of
mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere (James 3:17).