Let Your Gentleness Be evident To All

Let your gentleness be evident to all. Philippians 4:5 (NIV)

Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! Philippians 4:5 (The Message Bible)

You have heard that it was said, "Love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:43-48

God is always on our side, working with us and not against us. He doesn't necessarily help us with all of our screwy ideas, but in general, he is on our side. Just as God is on our side, he is asking us to be on the side of other people. We are to know their worth as people, and affirm them in this. We don't have to agree with all of their ideas, but we are to be gentle and understanding with them, just as God is with us. To an extent this is already in our nature, because we are made in God's image. I guess a lot of what God asks of us is like a dance. God is dancing already, and he is just asking us to dance with him. We are not on our own. This dancing with God could get really fun.