When we have sinned, if we come to God in brokenness, humility, and repentance, he will receive us with gentleness.

Have you ever known a person in authority who is inconsiderate of the feelings of his subordinates, who is continually rough, harsh, or severe? Think of a teacher of first-grade children who regularly yells at all her students, both the good and the bad, and moves them around by grabbing their arms and dragging, or by pushing children where she wants them. Think of a boss who berates, threatens, and bullies employees when they don’t measure up to his impossible standards. Think of a bus driver who deals with all passengers with glaring looks and a hard voice.

God is not like that. God is gentle. He is harsh only in judgment. He is severe only when giving a needed warning.

God’s gentleness as seen in Jesus

Jesus, who is the exact representation of God, said of himself:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30, ESV).

The soul finds no rest in the presence of a violent master. There is only intimidation, coercion, and fear. The soul finds no rest with a master who, with a high and heavy hand, exploits and abuses workers to get every last ounce of useful toil from them, then casts them aside.

Jesus is not like that; God the Father is not like that. He is Lord, but he is a gentle Lord, a kindly, amiable, and tender Master. He does put a yoke on us—like the yoke put on the necks of oxen plowing a field. It is the yoke of his commands, but it is an easy yoke and a light burden. “His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). For, his commands are good, wise, and life-giving. He puts on us the delightful yoke of love, for which we were created, in which we find fulfillment and joy, and through which we escape the acid-like selfishness and malice that destroy one’s soul. (Matthew 22:36–40; Romans 13:8–10)

Love is the gentle yoke of the Lord.

God’s gentleness in the Holy Spirit

Think of how God reveals his gentleness elsewhere in Scripture.

When the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus at his baptism, he came in the form of a dove, not a hawk.

When Elijah ran for his life from Jezebel, he came to Mount Horeb and hid himself in a cave. God revealed himself to Elijah and told him:

“‘Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD.’ And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.” (1 Kings 19:11–12)

The Lord was in the whisper. Only in the gentleness of God did Elijah find courage to go out and meet him. “And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’” (1 Kings 19:13)

The bruised reed

Elijah did not need to wrap his face in his cloak. Elijah was a broken man, but Scripture says of the Lord, “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench” (Matthew 12:20). So gentle is the Lord that he does not break a reed, not even a bruised reed. So gentle is he that he refuses to quench between his wet fingers the wick smoldering in discouragement and sadness, but gently blows on the smoking wick until it flickers again into flame.

A sinful woman kneeled at the feet of Jesus as he reclined at table eating. She wept tears of repentance and gratitude on his feet and anointed them with perfume. She wiped them with her hair. It was quite a scene, for Jesus was eating at the home of a Pharisee. How easy it would have been for Jesus in embarrassment and with a sense of decorum to quickly put a stop to her. But he let it go on long enough even to tell a parable and instruct the Pharisee. Finally Jesus spoke to the woman, and his first words were not a rebuke, not a correct description of her many wrongs, but rather a gentle “Your sins are forgiven.” He went on: “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:36–50)

A bruised reed he will not break.

Paul spoke of “the meekness and gentleness of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:1).

God’s gentleness with Peter

The apostle Peter knew what it was like to make mistakes and receive firm correction from Jesus when needed, but he also tasted of the meekness and gentleness of Christ. Peter ran away with the other disciples when Jesus was captured in the Garden of Gethsemane, and a few hours later he denied the Lord three times. That is no small matter. That is betrayal.

But sometime after his resurrection Jesus appeared to Peter, who had already wept tears of sorrow and repentance after the cock crowed. Jesus did not rebuke Peter for the denials as he had rebuked him for other failures. Peter had already recognized his sin, and his repentance was firmly in place.

Knowing this, Jesus restored him gently with soul-searching questions:

“When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ He said to him a second time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.’” (John 21:15–17)

When gentleness is not loving

Still, no one should mistake the gentleness of Jesus for weakness toward sin. When the money changers had turned the temple into a market, Jesus made a whip of cords and “drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables” (John 2:15).

When Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, he called them hypocrites, children of hell, blind guides, blind fools, whitewashed tombs, serpents, a brood of vipers, and murderers. (Matthew 23)

When correcting and warning hardened sinners, Jesus was not Mr. Rogers. You don’t break concrete with a pillow; you break it with a hammer. Jesus knows what is needed for the job at hand, and so does the Father.

Our way and God’s way

Our way: Fallen people want God to deal gently with them even when they persist stubbornly in sin. They may not respect God’s gentleness.

God’s way: He will be as gentle with you as possible, as gentle as you and love will allow.

Life principle: When we have sinned, we can be encouraged to know that if we come to God in brokenness, humility, and repentance, he will receive us with gentleness. We don’t have to protect ourselves from God but can place ourselves in his hands. We can take the yoke of Jesus upon us without fear that he will whip and drive us. Our souls can find rest in Jesus.