Digging Deeper: Dressed for Success
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)
DRESSED FOR SUCCESS
Have you ever taken a personality test, like the DISC profile, Strengthsfinder or the Enneagram? Relatively speaking, they all come to the same descriptions for my personality – competitive, leader, strategic, assertive, decisive, and fear of being vulnerable are the most frequent results. The word gentle does not show up! Regardless of what these profiles express about me (or you), it is not an excuse to not be gentle. In Colossians 3:12 it says to “…clothe yourselves” with gentleness. The Message version says “…dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you.” This idea of clothing is about an outward expression no matter our temperaments or natural feelings on a matter. What it does not mean is to be passive or apathetic; we can be firm but gracious. The greatest example we have of this is Jesus.
In John 8 we find Jesus seated and teaching in the Temple. The scribes and Pharisees bring a woman to the center of the crowd. She was an adulterer, and they ask Jesus what He would say, reminding Him that the law requires she be stoned. They are trying to trap Him and have more evidence that He is not who He says He is. Jesus stoops down and starts writing in the sand with His finger as the scribes and Pharisees keep questioning Him. Then Jesus stands up and says to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.” He stoops back down again and continues writing in the sand. Scripture says one by one the men all leave, oldest to youngest, and just the woman and Jesus remain. Jesus stands up again and says, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, Lord,” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”
Note the posture of Jesus throughout this story. When the scribes and Pharisees address Him regarding the law, He does not respond but stoops down to write in the sand. He stands up, addresses them and then stoops back down, while they decide to leave. When He addresses the woman, he stands up again. Every time Jesus speaks it is with all authority, firm and direct. Then He quietly allows them to respond. It is a gentle, loving way giving them the dignity to acknowledge their sin – the scribes, the Pharisees, and the adulterous woman.
If you find yourself in tough situations today, I pray that you ask God to give you the boldness to be firm and the power to be gentle like Jesus.
Bridget Turner serves as the Director of Women’s Groups at NorthStar Church. She and her husband, Steve, live in Powder Springs and have two young adult children, Hannah and Joshua. She enjoys watching football, traveling and reading.