Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – March 19, 2016
Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9
Jesus is gentle and humble, and He is aggressive and brave. Gentleness does not eliminate aggression, nor does humility cross out courage. Jesus is King of creation and ruler over the world, but He rules and leads with gentleness and humility. He describes Himself this way: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29).
Power is not a rod of rejection for the gentle and humble leader. A gentle and humble leader uses his position of influence to serve others and help them be their best. He brings to bear resources and relationships that facilitate the unity of the team. His gentle and humble approach to people increases their probability of success. There is no need to inflict fear as your mode of operation. Why cause people to cower in contempt because they are afraid?
Fear is a leadership technique of the insecure and incompetent leader. Obtaining results is no excuse to use intimidation as a tool. Certainly there are seasons of intensity that call for elevated effort and focused attention above the norm. But these windows of change are opportunities for the leader to provide stability and calm. It is a demeanor dependent on the Lord. Gentleness and humility lubricate the relational machinery of a home or enterprise. Gentleness is aggression under the control of the Holy Spirit, and humility is courage that is first committed to Christ.
Yes, some will take advantage of you and the situation, but over the long haul humility wins. You win over people and you win accounts. You win over adversity and you win the team’s loyalty. You win the respect of your family and friends. Most importantly, you win God’s blessing. Yes, gentleness and humility risk rejection and risk being trampled upon, but you cannot go wrong emulating the character of Christ. Your position of influence as a parent, pastor, executive, volunteer, sole proprietor, or teacher is not a place for pleading or passive aggression. Instead, use your influence to gently lead by example and to humbly confront those who are stuck on their own agenda.
Gentleness and humility are children of great faith. This prideless posture seeks daily filling from the Holy Spirit and wisdom from God (Ephesians 3:14-19). A gentle follower of Christ has been broken before God. Like a wild and brawny stallion, your will must be broken and aligned with the Almighty’s purposes. Use this time of resistance to graft the gentleness of Jesus into your soul, and to embed the humility of your heavenly Father into your heart. Stay true to your personality and temperament; be loud and bold if this is your wiring. But whoever you are, do everything in a spirit of gentleness and with a humble heart. Deflect attention from yourself, and trust Him for the proper recognition in His timing. Turn away from arrogance and pride. Embrace gentleness and humility, for they are twins birthed from transformation in Jesus.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, by Your grace grow me into a humble and gentle Jesus follower.Application
What situation requires my gentle humility, rather than my forceful pride?Related Reading
Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:12; Philippians 2:3; 1 Peter 5:5Post/Tweet today
Gentleness and humility are children birthed from the parents of grace and love. #WisdomHunters #gentleandhumbleWorship Resource
5 minutes – Gaither’s: Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior Today’s reading is taken from Boyd’s most popular book: Seeking Daily the Heart of God, a 365 day devotional. Check out Boyd’s newest devotional book Two Minutes in the Bible for Men. Order now! If you are blessed by these daily devotionals please prayerfully consider a donation to support Wisdom Hunters Resources. We are trusting the Lord for His provision. Learn how to help. Our free Apple app Our free Android app © 2016 by Boyd Bailey. All rights reserved.Comments are closed.
Wonderful words of wisdom. Great thanks.
Dear James,
Thank you for reaching out to us with your kind words after reading “Gentle and Humble”. We are grateful you were blessed by the devotional and we give all the glory to our Creator, our Heavenly Father. Please know that in this precious season of celebrating our Lord’s birth, we are thankful for the ones that make up our Wisdom Hunter’s family!
Merry Christmas to you and your family and we wish you a happy and healthy New Year.
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne
“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find the baby wrapped in cloths and lying in the manger.”
Luke 2:11-12