STUDY IN GALATIANS This is why he was not to remain entangled with the affairs of this life. No one can be a good soldier when enmeshed in all of the prob lems and cares of the world. We must not be oblivious to what God desires for us. Self-control is not something you can exercise by pull ing yourself up so to speak by your own “ boot straps." It can come only as we see new goals in life through the Holy Spirit. If we are domin ated by spiritual ideals and pur poses then we are not going to be quite so frustrated when we do not
achieve non-spiritual goals. There are times when longsuf- fering under hard circumstances is very difficult to make operational. It is to be viewed as a quality of Christian character which practical ly demonstrates that we can live as believers peacefully and without undue strain. Such victory in our daily experience marks us as those who are more interested in others and in the Lord's way than in our own personal goals. Is this true of your life? Let us pra\ daily that it may be so.
G EN T LEN ES S Gentleness in Scripture is never made synonomous with weakness. Gentleness as a fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22 conveys far more than meets the eye. Clearly it does not convey mild ness or the image of one meekly watching the world go by. Certain ly the Christian should be gentle in the sense that he is not quickly provoked to anger. Still, this is not the intent of the term as we find it in this passage. Several translations have rightly substituted “ kindness." In the Greek it speaks of that which has some very tangible value to so ciety. We are to be worth some thing to others for Christ's sake. There is no room left for slothful ness or laziness. If a salesman is useful and prac
tical both for his company and for his family he is making sales and earning a good income. He is prac tical in meeting both his family's and company's needs. Although the King James Version translates this word gentleness it more correctly refers to someone who is practical. He is doing his job. A graphic picture of the word is given in Romans 2:4, “ Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" The word goodness italicized in this verse is the same word translated gentleness in Galatians. Here in Ro mans it does not speak of moral goodness (God is certainly that but other words and passages convey
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