LACE~ The Gentle Heart

A beautiful legend says that one day the angel of the flowers — the angel whose charge it is to care for the adorning of the flowers — lay and slept beneath the shade of a rose-bush. Awaking from his sweet repose refreshed, he whispered to the rose —

“O fondest object of my care,

Still fairest found where all are fair;

For the sweet shade thou gavest me

Ask what thou wilt, ‘tis granted thee.”

The rose requested that another grace might be given to it. The angel thought in silence what grace there was in all his gifts and adornments which the rose had not already. Then he threw a veil of moss over the queen of the flowers, and a moss-rose hung its head before him, most beautiful of all roses. If any Christian, even the Christliest, would pray for a new charm, an added grace of character, it may well be for gentleness.

This is the crown of all loveliness, the Christliest of all Christly qualities...

Gentleness being a divine quality is one which belongs to the true human character. We are taught to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect; if we would be like God, we must be gentle.

This world needs nothing more than it needs gentleness.

All human hearts hunger for tenderness. We are made for love — not only to love, but to be loved. Harshness pains us. Ungentleness touches our sensitive spirits as frost touches the flowers.

It stunts the growth of all lovely things.

We naturally crave gentleness. It is like a genial summer to our life.

Beneath its warm, nourishing influence beautiful things in us grow...

There is need for the lesson of gentleness in homes.

There love’s sweetest flowers should bloom. There we should always carry our purest and best affections. No matter how heavy the burdens of the day have been, when we gather home at nightfall we should take only cheer and light. No one has any right to be ungentle in his own home. If he finds himself in such a mood he should go to his room till it has vanished.

The mother’s life is not easy, however happy she may be.

Her hours are long, and her load of care is never laid down. When one day’s tasks are finished, and she seeks her pillow for rest, she knows that her eyes will open in the morning on another day full as the one that is gone. With children about her continually, tugging at her dress, climbing up on her knee, bringing their little hurts, their quarrels, their broken toys, their complaints, their thousand questions to her, and then with all the cares and toils that are hers, and with all the interruptions and annoyances of the busy days, it is no wonder if sometimes the strain is almost more than she can endure in quiet patience.

Nevertheless, we should all try to learn the lesson of gentleness in our homes.

It is the lesson that is needed to make the home-happiness a little like heavens. Home is meant to be a place to grow in. It is a school in which we should learn love in all its branches. It is not a place for selfishness or for self indulgence. It should never be a place where a man can work off his ill-humor after trying to keep polite and courteous all day outside. It is not a place for the opening of doors of heart and lips to let ugly tempers fly out like ill-omened birds, and soar about at will. It is not a place where people can act as they feel, however unchristian their feelings may be, withdrawing the guards of self control, relaxing all restraints, and letting their worse self have sway...

“How can we learn this lesson of gentleness?”

Some one asks almost in disheartenment. Many of us seem never to master it. We go on through life, enjoying the means of grace, and striving more or less earnestly to grow better. Yet our progress appears to be very slow. We desire to learn love’s lesson, but it comes out very slowly in our life.

We must note, first of all, that the lesson has to be learned. It does not come naturally, at least to most people. We find it hard to be gentle always and to all kinds of people. Perhaps we can be gentle on sunny days; but when the east wind blows we grow fretful, and lose our sweetness. Or we can be gentle without much effort to some gentle-spirited people, while perhaps we are almost unbearably ungentle to others. We are gracious and sweet to those who are gracious to us; but when people are rude to us, when they treat us unkindly, when they seem unworthy of our love, it is not so easy to be gentle to them. Yet that is the lesson which is everywhere taught in the Scriptures, and which the Master has set for us...

It is probably as hard to learn to be gentle always as it is to learn always to be contented.

It will take time, and close, unwearying application. We must set ourselves resolutely to the task; for the lesson is one that we must not fail to learn, unless we would fail in growing into Christliness. It is not a matter of small importance — something merely that is desirable but not essential. Gentleness is not a mere ornament of life, which one may have, or may not have, as one may, or may not, wear jewels or precious stones. It is not a mere frill of character, which adds to its beauty, but is not part of it. Gentleness is essential in every true Christian life. It is part of its very warp and woof. Not to be gentle is not to be a Christian...

There is something else. We never can learn the lesson ourselves alone. To have gentleness in one’s life one must have a gentle heart. Mere human gentleness is not enough. We need more than training and self-discipline. Our heart must be made over before it will yield the life of perfect lovingness. It is full of self and pride and hatred and envy and all undivine qualities. The gentleness that the New Testament holds up to us as the standard of Christian living is too high for any mere attainment. We need that God shall work in us to help us to produce the loveliness that is in the pattern. And this divine co-working is promised.

“The fruit of the Spirit is… gentleness.”

The Holy Spirit will help us to learn the lesson, working in our heart and life the sweetness of love, the gentleness of disposition, and the graciousness of manner, which will please God.

(taken from The Gentle Heart by J R Miller)

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Hello dear friends,

After  prayer and some consideration, I have decided to continue on with LACE.

I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you, and I hope we can resume sharing from our hearts, the lovely things which build each other up in godliness and grace!

love to all..Trish

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Welcome to LACE!

This meme is for encouraging one another and is based on Philippians 4:8 

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