Gentleness

Gentleness. Here is a word which speaks volumes, yet does it so softly that we barely even notice. It is one of those quiet words that evokes the strongest of emotions, like a whisper, which sometimes demands more attention than a yell. We live in a world ruled to a great degree by the strong, the outspoken, the driven, the prideful. However, the force of gentleness is the power of the common man. The noise of the media, of politics, of the public world is like that of the crashing waves that beat against the shore. But the quiet force of gentleness is more like the tide. It can move mountains. It twists steel. It softens and changes hearts, but it does so slowly. The ebb and flow of simple people serving one another is what really changes the world. The real heros of this world aren't action heros. The real heros hug and care and pray the ugliness of human existence into submission, one heart at a time.

Gentleness
There is a strength in gentleness
not often understood
But the power of a gentle hand
can do the greatest good
One should never underestimate
the kind and gentle man
Who can change with love and patience
what the cruel one never can
Many a bloody victory
was won by the iron fist
But victory over the will means naught
if the heart and mind resist
It is only the kind and gentle man
who wins the heart as well
In the end his love and patience prevail
thus many a tyrant fell
Brute strength and anger drive away
the real person inside
But the gentle man is a confidant
in whom others seek to confide
His willingness to listen
also gives him the right to speak
His words are not the words of pride
and are heeded because they are meek
Politics and history
belong to the selfish and strong
Who love the limelight and the power
and the masses follow along
But down at the root of humanity
are the real heroes of life
Who change the world one heart at a time
bringing comfort through trial and strife
Who heal and help and sacrifice
on the front line every day
They make the world a better place
to live and work and play
For it is the kind and gentle man
who accepts with arms flung wide
The ones who chance to cross his path
without the prejudice of pride
His contribution might seem small
to those who don't understand
But he is the salt of a hurting world ...
and the instrument of God's hand
By Frank Carpenter ©