Gentleness is the pathway to paradise.      

My dear old mom was a gentle saint.
I never heard her raise her voice in anger.  I never heard her say a bad word about anyone, and I never heard anyone say a bad word about her.

Actually, my dear old dad was also always a gentle man.  I never heard him raise his voice in anger, either.  Yet dad was much more of a high-energy, life-of-the-party, everybody's pal kind of guy.

It is a tremendous blessing to remember both mom and dad as always being consistently gentle, kind, and courteous to each other and in their way of dealing with everyone.

Upon reflection, it seems clear that the virtue of gentleness is best understood as being the exact opposite of anger. Have you ever noticed that people who easily get angry are almost never gentle souls; while people who are gentle souls rarely get irate or angry.

And think about this: Gentleness ... to strive to always be gentle ... is a choice that everyone can and must make if they want to live in a peaceable world.

It seems to be the case with all virtues, that each virtue is gained only if and when each person makes a conscious choice and decision to embrace each virtue and and then becomes decisive and gritty determined to make each virtue an integral part of their own personal character.

Now think for a moment about the close relationship between patience (last year's theme) and gentleness. While patience is the ability to accept delays, difficulties, and suffering without getting angry or upset, gentleness is choosing to remain gentle as well as calm in challenging situations.

Imagine what the world would be like ... if everyone in the world made a resolute and determined decision to acquire the ability to always be gentle and kind ... and to eliminate all anger and complaining from their own personal character.

Can you imagine a more nearly perfect Paradise?

While anger is perhaps the most destructive factor in every relationship, it is inspiring to know that there will be no anger in Paradise.  This temporary life here on earth is like a rehearsal for heaven ... a time and place where we all need to learn how to defeat every trace of anger, impatience, and complaining in ourselves ... because doing that prepares us to be citizens in Paradise.

The fruit of the Spirit begins with
love, joy, peace, patience, and gentleness ...
~Galatians 5:22

The servant of the Lord
must be gentle toward everyone.
~2 Timothy 2:24