The Greatness of Being Gentle
By William Covert
DAVID, writing for Christ and prophetically of Christ, said, “Thy gentleness hath made me great.” Christ in human flesh manifested the greatness of His strength by walking in the power of heaven’s gentleness. When the prophet in vision beheld His incarnate life as He went forward against the adversary of man, he said, “Who is this that . . . is glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness of His strength?” When the question was asked, the answer given was, “I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.” In the contest which He was waging against the ruler of this world’s darkness, He used the almighty power of gentleness. No dart that the adversary hurled could pierce the shield of gentle love which composed the armor that He wore. The enemy tried with all his satanic power to break through that shield of gentleness, but it could not be torn nor broken. Since gentleness in the power of the Holy Spirit made Christ invincible, it is evident that the same mode of warfare would make His followers mighty in their contest with the same adversary. Christ wreaked vengeance upon Satan by simply walking in the might of His holiness; and His people can conquer by fighting as their Lord fought. Let this gentleness be not intermittent, but perennial, and constant as the power of that life which makes it grow; and if so, their defense will never be broken. Christ took no offense at abuse, nor was the gentleness of His spirit disturbed by torture. He meekly prayed for the men who scourged Him, while they applied the cruel, stinging lash; and while His nerves quivered8with pain, His soul was drawn out in love for His tormentors. It was the mighty power of His gentleness, seen and approved by all beholding intelligences, that won for Him the victory over every foe of righteousness.