Once in a while we meet a
gentle person. Gentleness is a virtue hard to find in a society that
admires toughness and roughness. We are encouraged to get things done
and to get them done fast, even when people get hurt in the process.
Success, accomplishment, and productivity count. But the cost is high.
There is no place for gentleness in such a milieu.
Gentle is the one who does
"not break the crushed reed, or snuff the faltering wick" (Matthew
12:20). Gentle is the one who is attentive to the strengths and
weaknesses of the other and enjoys being together more than
accomplishing something. A gentle person treads lightly, listens
carefully, looks tenderly, and touches with reverence. A gentle person
knows that true growth requires nurture, not force. Let's dress
ourselves with gentleness. In our tough and often unbending world our
gentleness can be a vivid reminder of the presence of God among us.
Henri Nouwen
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