‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Let’s do an Advent check-in. How has your rejoicing through the Christmas season been? Today is the third Sunday of Advent which is also referred to as “Gaudete Sunday.” The Latin meaning of Gaudete is “rejoice.” Deborah shared on Gaudete Sunday a few years ago, which you can read by clicking the link. Her focus was on the verses that followed in Philippians 6-7. She shared about peace by taking our worries to God through prayer in the midst of our busy Christmas season. 

For today I want to focus on the second part of two key verses. According to the dictionary, gentleness is the quality of being kind, tender, and mild-mannered. Take a moment to think about the tenderness of baby Jesus. We should offer that same tenderness to others through a gentle spirit. We can’t be grouchy and rejoicing at the same time, right? I encourage us all to relax and really enjoy this week as we prepare for the birth of Jesus.

Let’s pray. Dear God, may the tender, gentle Spirit of Jesus shine through me today. When I start to get grouchy, help me to turn it into a rejoicing attitude of Christ. When others are grouchy towards me, guide me in showing kindness. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.