Every day I am called out by one challenge or another. Whether I read an article online, watch a television show, see a Facebook status, stand in line at the grocery store, listen to the radio, glance at a bumper sticker, overhear a conversation or even go to the doctor's office, I am given the chance to put up a fight or engage in a debate.
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| I took this picture last October from our back yard. |
At home my children challenge me all day long. In my marriage I am challenged to be selfless. In my community I am challenged to fight for growth and change. In my church I am challenged to see things through others' perspectives. In my friendships I am challenged to step out and help. In my writing I am challenged to think and grow beyond my comfort zone.
It doesn't matter where I turn, there is an opportunity to raise my boxing gloves and put up a fight.
When everything within me wants to go to battle, how do I not rise up to the challenge?
In 1 Peter 3:4-5 I find the answer. "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves." (Italics mine)
Some people look at this scripture and suggest that a woman must not wear makeup or jewelry or fine clothing - but I believe Peter's intent was to show that true beauty doesn't come from these outward things, instead true beauty is found under the surface, in the inner self, the unfading beauty that comes from a gentle and quiet spirit.
True beauty isn't what we look like, it's how we act and respond to life's challenges.
For each challenge I am presented with, I am called to answer with a gentle and quiet spirit. That doesn't mean I should let others walk all over me and it doesn't mean I should refrain from voicing my thoughts and opinions (this post is a good example of that).
Whether I'm dealing with my children, or a controversial topic, I need to keep my emotions at bay (as best as I can!) and respond calmly. I've learned that my children, and those I engage in a healthy debate with, will be more inclined to listen to me when I respond this way.
Daily, I seek to live out 1 Peter 3:4-5. I don't always succeed, but I keep trying because I know it is of great worth in God's sight.
Beyond my culture, my family and my friends there is One I strive to please above all others. God doesn't look on my outward appearance - what He sees is my inner self and He's calling me to show others who I am within; who He created me to be, especially when I am being challenged.
What about you? Do you put on your boxing gloves often or does a "gentle and quiet spirit" come more easily to you?
What about you? Do you put on your boxing gloves often or does a "gentle and quiet spirit" come more easily to you?
I hope many others find wisdom in this post, because I sure have! What a great daily affirmation. A true test for me~ put down the boxing gloves.
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by, Kate. I've spent far too many days with a lack of peace because I chose to pick up the boxing gloves and go to battle with a person or a cause when my emotions were stirred up. I find when I approach life with a gentle and quiet spirit I am much more calm and it's easier to let God go to battle for me. This is a true test for all of us.
DeleteI've never had a gentle and quiet spirit, though I yearn for one! I'm definitely a work in progress...but then, I guess I always will be. :)
ReplyDeleteI've always yearned for one, too. There are a handful of women in my life who really demonstrate a gentle and quiet spirit and I wonder how they achieved it. Was it a God given gift or something they've worked at their whole lives - I would guess the later would be true. Anything worth having is hard work!
DeleteI was thinking of this passage in I Peter just this morning. Philippians 4:5 is similar: "Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near." As much as I love these verses, I know the truth: deep inside, I'm fighting to have that quiet and gentle spirit. I long for it, I want it, but it does not come naturally. In most cases my first reaction is to get my feathers ruffled and come out fighting. But by God's grace, I'm learning to take whatever it is that has me stirred up to Him first, so that others rarely know how close I came to lashing out.
ReplyDeleteTeri, I had Philippians 4:5 in my post when I first wrote it, but it wasn't fitting in just right, so I took it out - both scriptures relay the same message, a gentle spirit is of great importance to God.
DeleteIronically, I think mothering has helped me to become more gentle (most moms say the opposite), but God gave me such a revelation of the importance of words spoken into our children's lives that I have become very careful about being gentle with them. I'm not always successful, but I try!
What a great post, Gabrielle! I used to have that quiet spirit...soooo shy. But I grew up and found my voice and sometimes it is difficult to quiet it down. And it is not so much that I am vocal with my emotions...I just wrestle with emotions I never used to have to wrestle with - bitterness, anger, resentment. I don't dwell in those emotions, but they will sneak up on me every once in awhile, taunting me, trying to get me to lash out.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness for a God who teaches me to be like HIS son!
Thank you, Sherrinda. I am not a vocal person, either, but I wrestle with emotions, especially when I read or hear something that contradicts my firm beliefs and values. Thankfully I've always hated confrontation, so I rarely get into a debate, but in my mind I've come up with some really great arguments!
DeleteHI Gabrielle,
ReplyDeleteHad to stop by. How cool that you brought my "Followers" total to 30 and I noticed by joining yours, your total is now 30. It was meant to be!!
So nice to meet you. Loved your post--especially when you mentioned how to address our children. This is the same approach I teach to my college students when we cover the interpersonal conflict section. It works.
Thirty followers is cause for celebration! For both of us! :) I'm Looking forward to following your blog!
DeleteI try hard to have a gentle and quiet spirit with my children, because I know how crucial these foundation building years are, but when I fail, I've always made a point to apologize. It does work!
I know this is late, this is a fantastic post! I too am not inclined to having a "gentle and quiet spirit". (More often than not I pick up my boxing gloves in a moment of passionate emotion!) However I am now reminded once again that when these moments come I can take them to Christ and He will supply me with what I need.
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