Getting to Know Jesus by Name #26: Gentle

Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

We are very familiar with Jesus' "I AM" statements in John. We find some in the other gospels as well. Here Jesus says I am Gentle. The word means: "having or showing a kind nature; not hard or violent; not hard or forceful; not severe, rough."*  In other words, being gentle is described mostly by its antonyms - what He is not.  Jesus did not come to beat up and intimidate sinners, though He did not give them a free pass.  He did not make anyone follow after Him, though He gave everyone reason to want to.  By saying He is Gentle, Jesus is not saying He is an easy pushover, but that He does make it as easy as possible to choose what is right, even if it seems hard, because He is sharing the yoke with us.  

*(Diann Cotton: 100 Days with Jesus)