Being a Gentle Shepherd

"Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is Near." Phillipians 4:5

John 10:1-5 (The Message Bible)

"Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he's up to no good—a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won't follow a stranger's voice but will scatter because they aren't used to the sound of it."

There is hardly a more beautiful picture than that of a shepherd caring for his lambs. The importance of this is seen in John's word about the True Shepherd, and Paul's words calling for a gentle spirit in our lives.

As we consider the way we carry about in life, let us remember that a gentle spirit is likened unto the Lord's care for us. It should be intentional that we walk about with gentleness as a garment about us. Thus, when people see us and hear us, their hearts are receptive to that "open hands" invitation through our gentleness.

Let our gentleness be the motivating factor in our lives as we meet those in and out of the Kingdom of God. We might just be able to minister God's love to them.