You may have figured this out about me by now, but just in case you haven't I'll fill you in.. I'm a word nerd. I find it fascinating to look up words and understand there full meaning and the impact therein. Which leads me to the focus of this post. Have you ever looked up the definition of the word gentle? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary gentle means: free from harshness, violence, or sternness, kind and amiable.
I've mentioned this before, but when I was young my dad used to tell me to always be gentle and bold. At the time I was very confused by this, I mean how can you be gentle and still be bold. It seemed like a paradox in a sense. It wasn't until I was much older that I began to understand what he was trying to tell me.
Being bold does not mean you have to be aggressive and over the top in-your-face outspoken. Bold simply means: showing confidence and a lack of fear, fearless in the face of danger. How incredible would it be if we combined these two characteristics and allowed them to impact our behavior and reactions. To be kind and free of harshness with a confidence to face the world head on. What an incredible thought!
"Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength." - Francis de Sales
My hope is that you will take these words and let them sink in. Being bold through gentleness is a concept that I know seems strange, but its a concept that has helped me walk through many seasons both good and bad over the years. I pray it helps you as well! I love what scripture tells us in Colossians.
"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." - Colossians 3:12-13
I hope you take time to grasp this thought of being gentle and bold. Like I said it has helped me throughout the crazy seasons of life and I hope it helps you as well. That being said, remember that with the gentleness you are also bold and ready to step out into the calling that has been placed on your life!
“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
I want to challenge you this week to take this concept and run with it. What I mean by this is be gentle and bold. Let these two characteristics become a part of who you are and how you respond to those around you. Most importantly remember that you are enough and you are so loved!
You have a God-given uniqueness!
- Alianna C.