Silent but Deadly

Sitting in my hard wooden school desk, I nervously fidgeted with a building pressure deep inside my intestines. As sweat began to form on my forehead I pleaded with the clock to please move faster. Tick, tick, tick…the seconds seemed to plod along nearing the end of my 5th grade class day. Like a rock climber holding on for dear life, I held onto the expanding gas, but slowly my grip failed and the pungent odor filled the classroom. Although my nostrils cringed in toxic fumes, I was overjoyed for one, the release of pressure, and two, thank goodness it was silent. But one of the girls near me interrupted the teacher and said loudly “Pewwwww, who stinks” as she held her nose looking around for the culprit then fixing her eyes right at me. Trying not to give away my offense, I replied as a defensive cover up, “Whover smelt it, dealt it”. The class laughed, gagging as the bell sounded saving me from the embarrassment knockout. My classmates rushed out to the fresh air of the cramped school hallway. Silent but deadly.

I know I am not the only one with a silent but deadly experience…it’s a part of life. As I am continuing my study on Gentleness, there is a silent but deadly principle that unfolds each week. A hardened heart cannot bear the spiritual fruit of gentleness. Hard shells form around our hearts either through suffering, offense, pride, or immaturity. Often times they remain silent where we are unaware of our own hardened heart, yet we react in ways that may be unapproachable, harsh, critical, defensive or self-exalting. Negative experiences and immaturity is something we all face…it’s a part of life.

To grow in Christ’s love, to mature in character, to imitate Christ, and to bear spiritual fruit is our desire as an obedient follower of Christ. We first need to soften our heart. When we have a malleable spirit in the Master’s hand, He will create a beautiful, glorifying masterpiece. In our daily submission to the Holy Spirit we will bear good fruit. Gentleness is one of those fruits that reveal the maturing love of Christ at work within us.

“O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.” – Jeremiah 18:6 (NLT)

When we smell that pungent odor and it is emanating from a hardened heart, remember it may be silent but deadly.