Gentleness, goodness and kindness are three concepts that will help us bring out the best in others through action.

In the following article, Kaylene Maize shares with us specific examples and guidelines that we can use to share these fruits with those around us.

The more I reflect on the fruits of the Spirit the more I begin to realize they all go hand in hand! You can’t have one without another! You can’t be kind unless you’re gentle and you cannot be joyful without love, and peace comes from being patient…. I think you get my point! I don’t think God gave us these fruits as virtues to be practiced individually; rather He gave us these fruits so that we can be highly effective Christians who practice all of the fruits of the spirit in our lives.

As Christians we are called to go out into the world and spread His love and life everywhere that we go, just like St. Francis of Assisi once said: “Proclaim the Gospel always, use words if necessary.” We are called to serve God through not only our words but also through our actions. That’s where gentleness, kindness and goodness come in.  These three fruits of the spirit are important to practice in today’s society especially. We live in a world that is lacking in these areas, there are people who yearn to be loved and accepted in this world and it is our duty as Christians to make sure each and every individual knows that they are loved and they have value and worth in this world! We need to bring out the best in people in instead of bringing out the worst. We need to build up strong men and women of God, not tear them down.  As brothers and sisters in Christ and sons and daughters of God we can be the change our world so desperately needs!

Gentleness

• The Greek word translated as “gentleness” is also sometimes translated as “meekness” or “mildness.”
• Thomas Aquinas, for example, teaches that meekness “moderates anger according to right reason” (Summa Theologica II:II:157).
• Von Hildebrand captures the true power of gentleness: “For the meek is reserved true victory over the world, because it is not they themselves who conquer, but Christ in them and through them” (Transformation in Christ, 421).
• Mass: For our God is full of gentleness and compassion
• Gentleness comes from growing in union with the Heart of Jesus, as we love, trust, and imitate him more
• Two qualities belong to the meaning of gentleness and they are strength and love
• Only strong people can be gentle, because gentleness restrains strength by love.
• Gentleness is impossible in the absence of humility
  • If we wish to be in imitation of Jesus, to be gentle we must become humble.
  • The best indicator of how humble we are is how gentle we are
  • Have we ever asked ourselves why do we get irritated with people? Why do they bother us?
  • Speck in our brother’s eye, and we don’t see the beam in our own. And do you know why? Because maybe the beam is so big in our own eyes we can’t even recognize the fact that the person does have virtue, does have fine qualities.
  • We always see others through our own eyes. And our eyes are sinful eyes
    • Decenter your selves! Too often we think we’re the center of the world! The moment we realize we’re not the center we become more at peace and can more fully meet people where they are.
• The virtue of gentleness is built right in to the middle of the Lord’s Prayer. Forgive us, we plead, with God.
• Nothing under heaven except the grace of God can make us, as we should be, gentle. We need that grace. Jesus will give it to us if only we earnestly ask Him. Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto thine. Amen.

Goodness

• A few simple guidelines for feeling good everyday
  • Be honorable in all your dealing
    • May your yes mean yes and your no mean no!!
    • Fully and faithfully commit yourself to the activities you are involved in
    • Don’t be a minimalist- we are called to not just survive but to thrive
    • “It is He who provokes you with that thrust for fullness that won’t let you settle for compromise” –JPII
    • Use your influence to help someone else
      • We have influence! Like salt, we flavor life by what we say and do
      • Let time be a tool, not a tyrant
        • Relationships thrive under one condition: Carefree timelessness
        • Don’t be too busy trying to be happy, simplify your lives so that you can see the good in the world! In very ordinary times God’s love shows through in extra ordinary ways!
      • Build and maintain a support network
        • God puts people in our lives for a reason
      • Practice forgiveness daily
        • Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us
      • Strive to be a true friend
        • “A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter” -Sirach 6:13
        • The foundation of relationship is acceptance
        • Three As of friendship: Affirmation, acceptance and assurance

Kindness

• Ways to bring back kindness
  • Remind yourself that kindness is in short supply
    • National problem: we do not get enough positive human contact in our daily life
    • Make kindness your daily priority
      • No matter what you do or where you live, commit to making kindness a priority in daily life
      • Make it a daily goal to speak and act kindly
      • Random acts of kindness
        • Holding the door open for someone
        • Offering to help someone with their groceries
        • Praying for the person who cut you off on the freeway instead of getting angry
      • Offer the kindness of gratitude
        • Your kind expression may be a rare word of appreciation heard by a person
        • There are 6 billion people on the planet, and 5.9 billion of them go to bed every night starving for one honest word of appreciation.
        • Smile it is contagious and opens people’s hearts
        • People will forget the things you’ve said, People will forget the things you’ve done, but they will never forget… the way you made them feel.
      • Practice kindness in your neighborhood
        • Kindness should come from our hearts, should start at home with our families, our neighbors across the street, those right next door and this kindness should then reach everyone
        • People are meant to be loved and things are meant to be used, but too often we love things and use people.
        • Make it a point to remember people’s names, it is music to their ears

The fruits of the spirit are virtues that are given to us from God not just to have as more rules or things to think about, He gave them to us so that we can become more gentle, kind and good people who care about one another and respect each other. More often than not our actions speak louder than our words! What is keeping us from being the kind, loving gentle people God created us to be? Do not be afraid my friends, we’re all in this together!!

If you want to change the world, start with those around you! Your family and friends, neighbors and coworkers!

This article was written by Kaylene Maize.  To contact the author please e-mail Soulgineering’s Editor.