Gentleness, Kindness, Goodness

Lao Tzu was a Chinese philosopher who wrote the Tao Te Ching 500 years before the birth of Christ.  He believed in living the Tao (The Way), which, according to him, was the source and essence of everything that existed.  The Tao is a philosophy and/or religion with emphasis on aligning with nature.  He wrote this: " I have three precious things which I hold fast and prized.  The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others.  Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men."  Gentleness is considered a "fruit of the spirit" in Galatians 5:22.  It is used interchangeably with kindness depending upon which translation of the Bible is used.  Kindness is a synonym for gentleness.  It refers especially to a person and his behavior as being tender, considerate, and helpful. Gentleness either means soft and  mild, e.g., a gentle rain, or having a soothing, calm, and sensitive nature.  Regarding action, gentleness refers to a manner that is mild and even tempered. Kindness and gentleness describe someone's disposition and temperament.  Further, kindness means being warm hearted, considerate, humane, and sympathetic.  A synonym for kindness is goodness.  Goodness is also a "fruit of the spirit," and no matter what translation is used, goodness is always noted as one of them.  Goodness is moral excellence, the best part of anything.  Both Lao Tzu, and the apostle, Paul, wrote of gentleness, kindness, and goodness as admirable characteristics determining our moral values and what one's personality should reflect. These qualities should be human nature.  Human nature consists of "the complex emotional and intellectual attributes that determine a person's natural actions and reactions."  However, today most people have lost touch with these virtues, which, should be part of every day living.  And yet, at the same time, we find people who have actually become them.  In other words, they just don't act in a gentle manner, do kindly acts, or are good people, it actually is who they become, what they are made of, their intrinsic nature.  These are the people who will eventually, as Lao Tzu said so well, eventually become "leader(s) among men."