If the spirit of today’s political climate could be boiled down to just two words, I’m pretty certain it would be something like: “Hulk SMASH!”
Modern politics are less a game of Jenga and more a WWE Smackdown. A word not found ever on the resume of a political campaign manager is “gentleness.” But followers of Jesus who are walking by the Spirit know from Galatians 5:16-24 that gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit — something that’s produced by God in the life of a believer.
So, what place does a Christian’s characteristic gentleness have during the smash-and-grab season of an election? Do we just bow out, retiring our gentle spirits to a less violent fray? Is it possible to stay in the mix and exhibit gentleness without being crushed ourselves?
To be clear, a person who walks in gentleness is not a doormat. Gentleness and doormats are not synonymous. After all, a doormat is stepped on rather violently as a necessary part of its existence — no gentleness there. That’s not what gentleness is about. Gentleness is the ability to restrain one’s strength for use in its proper time and context.
David shows us this in Psalm 18:35, when he speaks of the Lord’s gentleness. He sings, “You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great.” Shielded with the Lord’s strong protection, David was cared for and built up for greatness by the gentleness of God.
Restraint takes strength. The ability to keep a V-8 engine at idle when so many horses are available to you takes a certain kind of power on its own. That power is gentleness. To tread lightly often takes more energy than stomping the ground at full strength. For followers of Christ, that energy must be fueled by the Holy Spirit.
For example, with so much animosity, lies, and misinformation afoot during an election, we may instinctively desire to roughly put people in their place. But even our rebukes must exhibit a gentle hand. Paul demonstrates how believers should use the fruit of gentleness in Galatians 6:1 when he writes, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” There are ample opportunities for rebuke in an election, but when you gently crack an egg, you can still make an omelet. But if you smash the egg, you’ll go hungry.
When we’re not rebuking but instead showing the way, we likewise must speak with gentleness. The Apostle Peter urges Christians to be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” Your intellectual argument may be stronger, and your moral reasoning more robust, but once again, restraint will keep the weaker mind from imploding.
Those who are without the power of restraint cannot be gentle. A wild animal backed into a corner will bite, thrash, and do whatever it takes because it’s on its last measure of power. It has nothing else behind it but a wall that spells certain destruction. But we who walk in the Spirit have behind us the power of the God who spoke the universe into being.
In every election season, there is much power at stake. Sometimes we’ll win, and our party will be in power. Other times, we’ll lose and be out of power. But when we exercise gentleness in the Spirit’s power, we’re exercising a power that never loses strength, no matter how the polls go. The political hulks of our day will smash and thrash about with reckless abandon, leaving a mess in their wake. But gentleness will change the world.
[Editor’s note: This is part eight of the “Fruits in Season” series, exploring the impact of the biblical “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16–24) on Christians during election season. Find the full series here.]
Jared Bridges is editor-in-chief of The Washington Stand.