“Abundance and plenty stir the heart, provoke praise, and fuel deep gratitude.”
Ruth Chou Simons.

Abundant gentleness often cascades, like a beautiful waterfall,
through questions, story, and being known.

We were in Florida attending a large conference. As I walked to dinner with Kathy she was sharing a piece of her story. She said, when I was talking to my counselor. I froze. Those words. I don’t even remember what came next! This was a time when I would have been embarrassed to admit I was talking with a counselor. God met me through those seven words, through Kathy’s story.

I imagine Kathy did not know the very significant role her story played in my story. Her ministry came through her personal story.

As I remembered, God gently nudged me with another story, the story of Mary Magdalene, the part where she stood helplessly at Jesus’s empty tomb that first Easter morning. After resting on the Sabbath, she came to the tomb with the spices needed to prepare Jesus’s body for burial, her last ministry of love to the one whom she had come to love.

But her intentions, and her ministry were interrupted, not needed. The tomb was empty! She wept. Her tears  not because her plan was lost, but because the body of Jesus was lost.

“Woman, why are you weeping?” — asked the two angels sitting where the body of Jesus had lain.  “Woman, why are you weeping?” Again the same question, this time from Jesus who was standing behind her.

The gentle questions allowed her to share.

Then Jesus calls her by name, “Mary” (John 20:11-16). And Mary Magdalene recognizes him.

“… he calls his own sheep by name … and the sheep follow him,
for they know his voice.”
John 10:3 and 4

Not only did Mary recognize Jesus when he voiced her name, Mary knew she was known.

In the midst of the extreme hards of our lives, Mary Magdalene’s testimony teaches me about abundant gentleness.

Abundant gentleness communicates with questions, with story,
and with knowing we are known.

The questions of the angels and of Jesus allowed Mary to voice her grief.

Questions gently invite others to voice their fears and allow God to speak.

And as my friend Kathy shared her story, God met me. I’m quite sure I did not respond out-loud, but it was an ah-ha moment. I do not need to be ashamed of needing help. I do need to be humble enough to receive.

A few years later, Bill and I attended a counseling intensive. (God had worked in my life.) As we think back on that time, we remember only a few suggestions from the counselor in those entire two weeks. In place of those expected suggestions were a lot of questions. He drew out our stories and God met us.

Stories gently speak truth to the listeners.

The highlight of our counseling intensive for me was learning my true identity. I came away knowing my name, beloved child of God. For years I had confused my identity with my role. And that led to much comparison and much sadness.

When Jesus called Mary by name, it was not only recognition, it recovered her joy and re-defined her ministry, “go to my brothers and say to them …” John 20:17. Mary was known.

And, oh the gentleness of being known.

God communicates abundant gentleness in many ways. I’m learning to be gentle — with myself and with others as I ask questions, share my story, and affirm who God created my friends to be.

“Take my yoke … learn from me …
I am gentle … you will find rest …”
Matthew 11:29, the words of Jesus

“But the fruit of the Spirit … gentleness …”
Galatians 5:22 and 23

 

Copyright, Sue Tell, April 2020