Fellowship of Christian Athletes -
Greek = chrestotes. Moral excellence in character or demeanor, goodness, kindness.
Introduction: "Meekness is essentially a true view of oneself, expressing itself in attitude and conduct with respect to others. It is therefore two things. It is my attitude towards myself; and it is an expression of that in my relationship to others. You see how inevitably it follows being 'poor in spirit’ and ‘mourning.’ A man can never be meek unless he has seen himself a vile sinner. These other things must come first. But when I have that true view of myself in terms of poverty of spirit, and mourning because of my sinfulness, I am led on to see that there must be an absence of pride. The meek man is not proud of himself, he does not in any sense glory in himself. He feels that there is nothing in himself of which he can boast." — Martyn Lloyd-Jones
- Gentleness in the world of sports may not be very desirable. Is it possible for a Christian athlete to somehow avoid the negative label of "soft" while at the same time living up to the Bible’s standard of gentleness? Who might be an example of such gentleness?
- Read James 1:21 and James 3:13. The humility conveyed in this Greek word for gentleness comes through strongly in these verses. What aspects of gentleness in the book of James, specifically in these two passages along with James 1:27, speak to you the most?
- Read Numbers 12:3, Matthew 5:5 and Matthew 11:29. Meekness and gentleness were on continual display in the lives of both Moses and Jesus. Yet it is also worth mentioning that meekness does not mean weakness. What are some examples of strength in Moses? Jesus?
- Read Colossians 3:12. In a beautiful manner, Paul weaves together compassion, kindness, humility and patience with gentleness. We are to clothe ourselves with these five things. It is as if we were to put the five fingers of our right hand into a warm, cotton glove. Read on through verse 15 and meditate on a few more fruits of the Spirit. Which of these character traits right now is the most challenging one for you to obey? Why?
- From President Dal Shealy on down, the FCA tries to set a good example in the area of gentleness. This goes back to 1954, when the ministry began. Back then, athletes and coaches placed more of a value on sportsmanship than they do today. What are some ways for you to practice sportsmanship today? How gently do you tend to treat your opponent?
Memory verse: "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently." — Galatians 6:1
Conclusion: "Who would have guessed that gentleness, meekness, docility and mildness of spirit gave true meaning to David’s life? He appears to be a carefree, courageous keeper of sheep, a fearless soldier and magnificent leader of men, a man of war rather than a maker of peace; in brief, a man whose military prowess made him master of his people; nevertheless, these qualities were not the true secret of his greatness. Meekness made him a monarch, kindness made him a king, gentleness made him a great man in the earth." — V. Raymond Edman
