“I drew them with gentle cords, With bands of love, And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them.” (Hosea 11:4, NKJV) Gentleness is love in action. It describes our Lord leaving the 99 to find the lost one out of a hundred. It is love gentling drawing one who has erred or strayed away. It is gentling lifting the yoke of oppression from those who are heavy laden by their sin.

People often misunderstand sin’s effect. Sin immediately introduces its own punishment and bondage in our lives. Unless it is confessed and forsaken it places a heavy yoke of slavery on our lives. No one has to beat up someone who has sinned. Why should we? Let him without sin cast the first stone. All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.

Jesus deals gently with sinners, decisively deals with our sin, and transforms our lives. People trust Jesus. He has credibly transformed the lives of those who really trust in him. He makes loving, productive, gentle people out of hardened sinners.

Read carefully the words of psychiatrist, Dr. Karl Menninger. “In all the laments and reproaches made by our seers and prophets, one misses any mention of sin. A word which used to be a veritable watchword of prophets. It was a word once in everyone’s mind, but now rarely if ever heard. Does that mean that sin no longer is involved in all our troubles — sin with an “I” in the middle? (sIn) Is no one any longer guilty of anything?” Karl Menninger, Whatever Became of Sin, p 13

Yes, we are all guilty of sin. People trust Jesus. They ask if they can trust me. Most of my non Christian friends, are asking can they trust me. They want to know if I am a credible representation of God’s gentleness, love, integrity, and compassion. I am a scarred but credible witness to Christ’s love and grace. How about you?

Peace!