April 29, 2026
Hello Beloved,
May this writing on “Gentleness” meet you right where you are with love, acceptance, and peace. I invite you to pause and become aware of your breath and breathing. Breathe in Peace and Gentleness. Allow a sense of Calm to wash over you and through you. Breathe out Love. Repeat several times. Remember, you are a child of God, and you have a right to be here, just as you are.
This follows upon the writing of Jim Hutson last week on Humility. Like Jim, I too received a word at our Board training that I am committed to on behalf of our Board and beloved community. My word is Gentleness. Below is a reflection, a song, and quotes for you to contemplate your relationship with the quality of Gentleness in your life.
When I graduated from Practitioner Training at Agape, the word given to me by Rev. Michael Beckwith was “Powerful”. We were asked to speak our words as part of a ceremony. I recall being very uncomfortable with the word, and as I crossed the threshold in the ceremony, I very quietly and meekly spoke the words “I am Powerful”. My voice betrayed my inner discomfort and disbelief. I did not feel worthy of being a person who claimed she was powerful. Rev. Michael had me do it again. I’ve been “doing it again” ever since and my relationship with it has grown.
Likewise, I was a bit uncomfortable and frankly disappointed with the word Gentleness, perhaps judging it in some way and feeling that I was not authentically up to the task of embodying it. I have countless examples that seem to prove this in my life; times when I fell short of the grace of gentleness, especially when challenged with finding my voice, setting boundaries, or sharing difficult feelings.
I was familiar with the quality of Gentleness from A Course in Miracles. It appears in the Appendix Manual for Teachers entitled Characteristics of God’s Teachers. It says that God’s teachers are wholly gentle and in gentleness, there is a strength. God’s teachers are incapable of harm because they do not judge. Oh my! My heart’s desire is to be a teacher of God. Yet, the moment I judge a brother, sister, what is happening, or myself, something happens. Guilt enters. It may be subtle or even unconscious. Yet, we cannot judge without also feeling guilt. When that enters the field, humans tend to do silly and terrible things. I am grateful to remember that we are more than mere humans.
I have learned that my moments of greatest disappointment with myself are those moments when I have been harsh toward another. I have also learned that it is a projection of just how harsh I have been with myself. I am, indeed, as it is said, my own harshest critic. So, moments of judgement and harshness become opportunities, a growing edge if you will. It’s an opportunity to practice gentleness with myself, to forgive myself, so I may then be gentle and forgiving with others. With practice, I find I can catch myself at the moment of a judgement and pivot into awareness, gentleness, curiosity and forgiveness.
As I embrace ideals of being powerful and gentle, I am relieved to remember that of my own, separate self, I do nothing. These qualities are God qualities. As such, I practice releasing my best efforts and habits. I offer them upon the altar of my heart to allow Spirit to heal me so I may be a channel for Its Power, Its Gentleness. And, like all things, it begins within.
Here are some tools I have used on this journey that may be meaningful to you:
1. “Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.” “Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.” This is indeed a gentle reminder, a favorite quote that lodged into my awareness years ago. May we remind ourselves of this as we journey together. (Desiderata by Max Ehrmann ~ Desiderata: Original Text).
2. A song for meditation and contemplation: I Will Be Gentle with Myself by Karen Drucker ~ Gentle With Myself
3. Practice/12-Step: Say what you mean, mean what you say, but don’t say it mean.
4. Contemplation. This is the quote that was given to Board to support the qualities we each received. It is a reminder that our Board service is a “calling.” How does “humility, gentleness and love” foster Unity of Spirit and a bond of Peace in your life, as you live your callings?
“...lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of Spirit in the bond of peace.” --Ephesians 4:1-3
What an honor to walk this journey with this Beloved Community!
I Love You, I Bless You, and I Thank God for YOU
Reverend René