It is very interesting to see how the Lord deals with Peter, James, and John in the Garden of Gethsemane. He tells them there to watch with Him. But after He withdraws in order to pray and comes to them again an hour later, all three of them are asleep. Therefore He rebukes them, saying, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?” (Mt. 26:40). This was a rebuke they clearly deserved. But it is impressive how gently the Lord puts it into words. In His gentleness, He even goes so far as to soften the justified reproach even more. For He Himself finds an excuse for them. He knows that their hearts are filled with pain because of His imminent departure, and that this is also reflected in them in the form of tiredness. Therefore, in His gentleness, He adds, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Paul writes in the same spirit when he calls the Corinthians to be his imitators, just as he too was an imitator of Jesus (1 Cor. 11:1). This was also especially the case with regard to his meekness, for Paul could say sincerely and without bitterness in his heart, “I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls” (2 Cor. 12:15). With Paul there was no “tit for tat,” but he showed something of the unconditional love that also characterized the life of his Lord. Although the Corinthians loved him less and less, he loved them all the more. Where is such a sentiment found today?

There is no lack of destructive critical spirit in our days either. How sad it is when Christians publicly criticize one another and present each other in a bad light. But instead of muzzling critics with harsh rebukes, we should pray for them and show them the gentleness of Jesus through our lives. This glorifies the Lord—and perhaps even opens some people’s eyes to their own behavior.