Completely Humble and Gentle

Brody and Bradley- I can remember while taking this picture how over and over I said, "Be gentle."

Be completely humble and gentle; 

be patient, bearing with one another in love. Eph. 4:2

I stopped in my tracks this morning as I read Ephesians 4:2.  I asked myself, "Cristy, do you know what completely means?"  Well duh, it means complete!  So that means I am to be completely humble and gentle every day in every situation.  If I am honest with myself, I know I fail at this greatly.  
Because I am not being gentle and humble when:
- I've explained something 5 times to Brody then become frustrated with him on the 6th time.
- I'm yelling at the slow car who has pulled out in front of me.
- I'm bothered at the cashier who sat down my coupons and did not scan them causing me to then have to stand in the customer service line to fix it. 
- I'm aggravated at my family for leaving dirty clothes in the middle of the floor.
- I'm annoyed with the person I am meeting with who is not on time.
- This "when list"could go on for pages. You get the general idea.

I am not always humble and gentle with every person, every day, in every situation.  But you know what?  I want to be.  Why?  Because God has told me to be just that.  It's not enough for me to half way live the Christian life.  If I do not live the life God has called me to live, then I am no different from the rest of the world.  My faith will not seem important if I am not any different than the average Joe.  I must try to love people like Jesus loves them.  When I love people the right way, I will see what made me upset in a different way.  I will see:
- The really tired child in front of me who is not listening because he is mean but because he needs a nap.
- The man driver just found out one of his parents will not live much longer, and he is driving slowly as he is processing the bad news. 
- The cashier is hurting and distracted because her husband left her.
- My husband was not trying to be messy. He just has a lot going on at work and needs to get there as quickly as possible so he can get everything he needs done that day.
-The late mom was up all night with one child and the other child did not want to get ready that morning.  She really was giving her best to be there on time.

My perspective changes when I stop looking at the world with my eyes, and I start looking with God's eyes.  I will be humble when I stop listening to others with my ears, and I start listening with God's ears.  I will be gentle when I stop using my heart, and I start using God's heart.  I do not have to be gentle and humble on my own.  Colossians 1:29 says, "To this end I labor, struggling with all Christ's energy, which so powerfully works in me."  How awesome it is to have Christ's energy work in us...if we allow it. 

The picture above of Brody holding the baby is a lot like how Christians should treat the world.  

Be gentle for they are fragile. 

 Be humble with them because you cannot understand just yet what they are thinking. 

I am going to be humble and gentle.  I am sure I will fail some days, but I will keep on trying.  I like how Paul encourages Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:15, "Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress."  Paul knew Timothy would make mistakes.  To put it into now days terms, he might say, "Just be real"---"so that everyone may see your progress."  In ten years from now, people should be able to say that the crazy Cristy Cackling Carpe Diem lady is more humble and gentle than she was.