Before an entertainment venue, a competition, or boarding an airplane, one will hear a particular English salutation or its equivalent in most parts of the world: “Ladies and gentlemen.” The greeting is comprehensive of everyone and invites an air of civility, propriety, and courtesy. One can argue the details of English etymology and origin, connecting gentle with the word genteel, which means refined and aristocratic. Regardless, both denote being kind, polite, and pleasant.
Philippians 4:5 points out that God’s people are called to let their epieikes be known to everyone. Different translations have different words, but epieikes is usually rendered moderate, patient, or gentle. Christ’s gentleness is to be known to all. Colossians 3:19 speaks to husbands being gentle with their wives. First Peter 3:4 speaks to wives being of a gentle and quiet spirit. And if you are neither husband nor wife, Ephesians 4:2 speaks to all that we should be humble, gentle, and patient, bearing one another in love.
One of the most insightful vignettes of Jesus’s gentleness is found in Isaiah 42:1-4:
“Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. He will not fail nor be discouraged, till He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands shall wait for His law.”
Manifesting dominant and commanding features, the Messiah brings forth justice with truth to the Gentiles and establishes it in the earth. Sandwiched between the statements on justice are two precious illustrations of meekness and moderation.
Though victorious, Jesus does not cry aloud or raise His voice. Instead, Scripture points to a reed, which has no high value and no purpose, and can be easily discarded. As with strands of flax, both are weak, dispensable, and readily found anywhere.
Being bruised suggests having been damaged but not irreparable. Smoking points to embers that are about to lose their fire. The smallest force could break the reed or quench the flax, but Jesus does not. These lines point to the greatest Gentleman, who is tender, compassionate, and simply gentle.
Matthew 11:29 says, “I am gentle and lowly in heart.” Christ models the gentle grace needed in every human relationship. Not only to strong trees, blossoming plants, or fruitful shrubs, but also to weak, broken reeds and flaxes did Jesus show the gentlest of grace.
May God’s people look to the Gentleman of heaven to be empowered by His grace to be the ladies and gentlemen of earth.
