Christian Gentleness
J. Bowker. 2 Timothy 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle to all men, apt to teach, patient,… I remember to-day two masters I was under at school. One was a huge, burly fellow, with a sharp, unkind word, and a sharper punishment for every boy, big or little, who was guilty of an omission or a fault: and every lad, little or big in the school, hated him, and longed for the time when they would see him no more. The other was by no means a weakling, for he was a splendid fellow in the cricket-field; but he was as gentle as a child. And the roughest and wildest lads, who would have scorned to allow their faces to tell what they suffered under a cruel beating from the first, used to dread a quiet five minutes' talk with the second master, who in a sweet low voice always used to begin with "my dear boy." Few lads left the presence of that second master without having felt unable to repress the rising tears, and without a noble resolve to be better for the sake of the Christian gentleness with which the folly or the fault had been dealt with. (J. Bowker.) Parallel Verses KJV: And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, WEB: The Lord's servant must not quarrel, but be gentle towards all, able to teach, patient,