“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” (Philippians 4:5)

When you study the virtue of gentleness throughout the Bible, it carries three practical ideas:

• Thoughtfulness—Think before you speak.
• Consideration—Put yourself in other people’s shoes, and give them room to make mistakes.
• Calmness—Don’t raise your voice or tense up your facial muscles.

Because we belong to Christ, these qualities should be evident to everyone who comes in contact with us. But why does Paul throw in the next sentence? “The Lord is near.”

This can mean one of two things. One, the Lord’s return to earth is near. When Christ returns we don’t want to be found as harsh, arrogant, uptight, and loud. Two, it could simply mean that the Lord’s presence is near us right now. He is watching everything we are doing all the time.

Bottom line, in all of your encounters with people, imagine Jesus in the room with you, because he is in you, and he might actually show up face-to-face in front of you today. Act accordingly.

“I am thoughtful, considerate, and calm in my dealings with others.”

[Excerpt from Believe: 31-Day Devotional by Randy & Roxanne Frazee, pgs. 61-62.]