Sur la croix

Ceux qui me haïssent sans cause sont plus nombreux que les cheveux de ma tête… L'opprobre m'a brisé le cœur, et je suis accablé; et j'ai attendu que quelqu'un ait compassion de moi, mais il n'y a eu personne,… et des consolateurs, mais je n'en ai pas trouvé. Psaume 69. 4, 20
 

Ô jour d'angoisse, où Dieu cachait sa face!
Ô jour de honte et de confusion,
Quand tu payas, Seigneur, à notre place,
L'immense prix de la rédemption!

Tu recherchas amour et sympathie,
Mais nul des tiens ne comprit ta douleur;
L'un te trahit et l'autre te renie,
Tu ne trouvas aucun consolateur.

Tu fus muet dans toutes tes souffrances,
Quand devant toi des ennemis moqueurs
Multipliaient les défis, les offenses;
L'opprobre alors a déchiré ton cœur.

Ayant enfin vidé la coupe amère,
Achevé l'œuvre, et dit: “C'est accompli”,
Puissant Vainqueur! entre les mains du Père,
En pleine paix, tu remis ton esprit.

Ô cher Sauveur, toi qu'au-dessus des anges,
Dieu, satisfait, a couronné d'honneur,
Dès ici-bas, nous chantons tes louanges,
Et, prosternés, nous t'adorons, Seigneur.

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Gentleness

Be completely humble and gentle. Ephesians 4:2

Humility toward God will make us gentle toward others.
 

The troubles of life can make us cranky and out of sorts, but we should never excuse these bouts of bad behavior, for they can wither the hearts of those we love and spread misery all around us. We have not fulfilled our duty to others until we have learned to be pleasant.
 

The New Testament has a word for the virtue that corrects our unpleasantness—gentleness, a term that suggests a kind and gracious soul. Ephesians 4:2 reminds us, “Be completely humble and gentle.”
 

Gentleness is a willingness to accept limitations and ailments without taking out our aggravation on others. It shows gratitude for the smallest service rendered and tolerance for those who do not serve us well. It puts up with bothersome people—especially noisy, boisterous little people; for kindness to children is a crowning mark of a good and gentle person. It speaks softly in the face of provocation. It can be silent; for calm, unruffled silence is often the most eloquent response to unkind words.
 

Jesus is “gentle and humble in heart” (Matt. 11:29). If we ask Him, He will, in time, recreate us in His image. Scottish author George MacDonald says, “[God] would not hear from [us] a tone to jar the heart of another, a word to make it ache . . . . From such, as from all other sins, Jesus was born to deliver us.”
 

Dear Lord, I want to be a gentle person. Please help me to be kind and gracious to others today.