Laurie Hopkins

Gentleness – epieikēs – also translated “moderation, equitable, fair, mild, and gentle”

Let you interactions with all those around you be moderate, not taken to extremes; equitable in the sense of treating others the same, regardless of who they are or the circumstances; fair, mild and gentle, that others would be drawn onto you, not pushed away.

The very gentleness of Jesus that lives within us should shine forth from us.
So much so that others ask us what it is about us that draws them? 
So we can answer with the Name above all Names:  Jesus!

There are many ways to stand out in a crowd. 
But Paul, in Philippians calls us to stand out as lights. 
A light is a positive thing; a light shines in the midst of the dark. 
In this case we are called to shine as lights in the midst of something crooked and perverse. 
How is that done? 
By being different than what we are shining in. 
We have become a world of complainers and disputers. 
It would seem that everything is worth an argument. 
But we are called to behave differently in the midst of that; to “do all things without complaining and disputing”; showing our faith and shining brightly in the midst.
Before responding today, take a few moments and think.
 Is it a complaint, necessary or unnecessary?
 Am I arguing just because? 
The more time we take to think on what we say before we say it, the more likely we will shine brightly.

There are many ways to stand out in a crowd. 
But Paul, in Philippians calls us to stand out as lights. 
A light is a positive thing; a light shines in the midst of the dark. 
In this case we are called to shine as lights in the midst of something crooked and perverse. 
How is that done? 
By being different than what we are shining in. 
We have become a world of complainers and disputers. 
It would seem that everything is worth an argument. 
But we are called to behave differently in the midst of that; to “do all things without complaining and disputing”; showing our faith and shining brightly in the midst.
Before responding today, take a few moments and think.
 Is it a complaint, necessary or unnecessary?
 Am I arguing just because? 
The more time we take to think on what we say before we say it, the more likely we will shine brightly.