Dan Kent challenges us with the words of the Apostle Paul to respond to polarization by letting our gentleness show. He explains what gentleness is and is not, and outlines the inherent power and the freedom we experience when we obey this command to gentleness.
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Let Your Gentleness Show
• Dan Kent
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Dan Kent encourages us to heed the command to walk in gentleness. He opens by reminding us of Jesus’ Great Commission, which includes “teaching to obey all that Jesus commanded.” This is a challenge today because most people bristle at the thought of rules. We don’t want people telling us what to do. We hear commands, and we think rules that hinder our freedom.
There are, of course, commands in the New Testament that are prohibitive, and these are given so that we can avoid actions that actually hinder our ability to live freely. However, the focus of this sermon is on the positive command to be gentle, which is an imperative that helps us be free to live into our say-so and to walk in the power of who we are designed to be.
To the church at Philippi, Paul wrote a letter addressing conflict and polarization. He told them, to “rejoice always” and to “Let your gentleness be evident to all…” The Greek word for “gentleness” means something like reasonableness, forbearance and moderation. It speaks to how one responds to being attacked by another, with ties back to the attitude of Jesus when he said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29).
Dan addresses three aspects of the imperative of gentleness which demonstrate the inherent power that it possesses. First, he proposes that it is emotionally empowering. This is rooted in the word “let” as it assumes that we have a choice in how we respond in a time of conflict. Many people operate according to a pattern called emotional determinism. There is no gap between the stimulus and the response. The imperative “let” affirms our center of agency and personal power. We have the choice to respond differently than how we are treated.
Secondly, this command gives us an immunity to propaganda. Propaganda influencers live off the reactions that they can create through peddling fear and anger. To foster this, they try to convince us that we are in danger and vulnerable. Therefore, we need to buy into their solution. To this, Paul says, “Let your gentleness show.” This response is what Dan calls an expression of anti-fragile faith. This is a faith that grows stronger under pressure. When we encounter conflict and polarization, we have the opportunity to respond with gentleness and allow the experience to grow our faith.
Third, to let your gentleness show is spiritually stabilizing. In a world of harassed and helpless people, who are terrified and outraged, tossed to-and-fro with every wave, Paul implores us to choose gentleness. We are to live from our security in Christ, not according to the ups and downs of the latest rhetoric. This is not merely something that benefits us. It also brings life and light to those around us.
In his book The Strength to Love, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote, “We must not seek to defeat or humiliate the enemy but to win his friendship and understanding. We must seek reconciliation, not victory.” This is only experienced as we make space for the power of Christ’s gentleness within us.
Hide Extended SummaryTopics: Conflict, Politics, Reconciliation
Sermon Series: Political Distortions
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Focus Scripture:
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Philippians 4:5
Let your gentleness be evident to all.
2 thoughts on “Let Your Gentleness Show”
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Dan, for somebody who seems paranoid about advanced technology, I believe you just answered your own question with the whole Gentleness command thingy going on. We can overcome the current gossip networks on steroids. We have the Immunity to Propaganda as you said so yourself!
Question: what does “rejoice always” mean? Are we rejoicing always for polarization???
P.S. Have you uploaded the Musecast yet? Last I checked, the vid was removed.
Hi Sarah,
We rejoice always “for Christ.” We rejoice in the midst of polarization, oppression, stagflation, consternation, and whatever. We never rejoice “for” polarization, though.
Yes, the MuseCast was uploaded. Check the Woodland Hills page on youtube.
Thanks Sarah!
Dan Kent