The Power of Gentleness - Story

In a quiet corner of my neighborhood, there’s a small park where a majestic oak tree stands, its branches stretching wide like arms inviting us to come and rest. One autumn day, I sat on a bench beneath its shade, watching as children played nearby. Their laughter danced in the crisp air, yet there was one little boy, Sam, who sat apart, picking at the grass in solitude. I could see the weight of uncertainty on his face.

As the other children ran and tumbled, I felt a gentle nudge within me to go speak to him. Approaching slowly, I knelt down to his level and asked, "Why are you sitting here by yourself?" With a quivering voice, Sam replied, “I don’t know how to play with them. I’m afraid they won’t want me.”

In that moment, I remembered Psalm 23, where David writes, “He leads me beside still waters.” I softly shared with Sam that sometimes, being gentle with ourselves is the first step toward finding our place among others. I encouraged him to take a small step, to try asking a friend if he could join them. His eyes lit up with a flicker of hope.

Weeks later, I returned to the park and spotted Sam, now laughing with others, his gentle spirit shining brightly. It was a reminder that gentleness, like the oak tree, nurtures growth, guiding us to embrace truth in a world filled with noise. Just as the Lord leads us with love and tenderness, we too can cultivate gentleness in our own hearts, encouraging others along their journeys.