“Oh, be gentle sweetheart,” I spoke tentatively to my daughter as I watched her “pet” our cat aggressively.  Her hand slowed and she tried to make her movements more purposeful although still pressing too hard against his fur.  “Like this,” I took her hand in mine and gently stroked the animal’s back with just the right amount of pressure.  When I released her hand to allow her to try unassisted, she was still too rough despite her best efforts.  Our cat became irritated and left her sitting in the floor alone.  She didn’t know her own strength and certainly didn’t have the motor skills or self control to bridle that strength enough for the cat’s liking.

I think I’ve often associated gentleness with weakness.  I’m not sure why that is because the two are very different.  Weakness lacks strength whereas gentleness controls it.  I picture my husband holding our children in his lap as he reads them a book.  He’s so much bigger and stronger than they are and could hurt them quite easily yet, when he deals with them (and me), he is gentle.  Even in disciplining them he demonstrates gentleness.

When Christ was crucified many probably viewed him as weak, but the truth is quite the opposite.  Christ had the power to annihilate every soul responsible for his torture and yet, He restrained that strength with powerful gentle love toward us.  Gentleness is selfless.  It requires us to think of someone else.  Gentleness requires self control as most often the one practicing it has the power to harm the one to whom it is shown.

Being gentle doesn’t come naturally to us.  It’s something we have to practice and is most difficult when we’re angry or hurt.  It takes a strong person in such circumstances to understand their power and use it appropriately.  Such power isn’t always related to muscular strength, our tongue is likened to a two edged sword and can do much damage as well.  True gentleness is being able to overpower and harm someone with word or deed and choosing not to.  This is far from weak behavior, it's a practiced strength and the epitome of love. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23