Underrated Virtues

Let’s talk about underrated virtues. Basically, I can’t stop thinking about them and when a topic doesn’t leave me alone, I usually end up writing about it. ☺️

In today’s world, where so much noise, fear, and division seems to abound at every turn, I’ve been feeling personally drawn to revisit virtues like kindness and gentleness.

If you happen to have grown up in church like me, you might remember memorizing the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, which says,

“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!” (Emphasis mine)

Funnily enough, I’ve lost count of the sermons on love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, and self-control I’ve heard. I’ve heard a fair few on goodness, especially the goodness of God. However, in comparison to the others, I’ve heard relatively few on kindness and hardly any on gentleness.

Yet I can’t shake the feeling that kindness and gentleness are particularly potent forces of good to undo the chaos that surrounds us—like secret weapons in our arsenal.

Part of the reason I feel this way is because of an encounter I had last year (with the Holy Spirit) that I want to share with you. It was brief, only a second or two long, but it marked me forever. I was simply sitting and thinking about something (can’t even remember what it was) when all of a sudden, I felt an almost imperceptible presence brush across my face. It wasn’t physical as much as a spiritual sensation, if that makes sense. But as it happened, I knew I’d just encountered the gentleness of God.

When I felt that caress (that’s the only word that comes close to describing what it felt like), I saw—experientially—the truth of how gentle God actually is juxtaposed with my subconscious beliefs that He was a bit harsh, or even demanding in his interactions with me. When I ‘tasted’ the fruit of His gentleness, my perception of His nature went to a new level. I saw—yet again—how He wanted to parent, teach, heal, and lead me through gentleness, not force.

Now I perceive His gentleness (and kindness) all around me in ways I never noticed before.

It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it again.

What’s my point?

It’s easy to be kind and gentle when we’re with people we love, and who think like us or talk like us or agree with us. But what do kindness and gentleness (and even the other fruits of the Spirit) look like practically deployed in a world being inundated with fear, division, greed, chaos, and control?

Do I believe they actually work?

Do you?

I spend a lot of time thinking about our voices, stories, gifts, and what we’re being invited to release in the world. It’s the main reason I spend time writing to you each week. I know what you have to bring is important and I want to empower you to show up as fully and authentically to your ‘world’—or sphere of influence—as you can.

Some people are like, “Go hard! Declare what you stand for! Make sure people know what you believe about _______ (insert hot topic) in no uncertain terms!” And often those people can be inspirational. I admire them.

I also see a ton of division resulting from this approach. I mean, we have no shortage of polarizing statements that, once made, are guaranteed to bring a reaction in the listeners.

I’m asking myself this question on a regular basis: “Does the world need another person ‘making a stand’ (while knowing full well it will stir up debates and even strife), or does the world need healing?”

Truthfully, I’m sure it’s both. I get that there’s nuance, and a ‘time to kill and a time to heal’ (and all the other Ecclesiastes 3 stuff), and I’m neck deep in working through my role in it all.

Maybe you are, too.

And if so, I just want to tell you that you’re not alone. I get that you’re probably like me, and want to do the right thing with your life, for your family, and kids, and future generations. And that these times are crazy and we’ve never been here before.

I’m not here to tell you what to do. I’m just throwing out my 2 cents and adding it to the mix.

I hope it helps.

For what it’s worth, I wholeheartedly believe gentleness and kindness are significant keys. I’m still unpacking that encounter from last year, but my prayer is that I embody gentleness, kindness, and the other fruits of the Spirit more every day.

I can be kind in my boldness and gentle in my delivery. I can also be truthful and brave and faithful and loving, all while honoring you, even when we don’t agree. Especially when we don’t agree.

It’s all a beautiful dance, isn’t it?

I have more qusetions than answers, but wanted to jump in here today and make the case for beautiful, underrated, potent ‘fruit’.

Here’s to tasting it and cultivating it in our own lives! ???

For the healing of the our world,