Intro to Chapter 13: Gentle Jesus, Meek and Mild
Many Christians operate under a false syllogism. They know nice people avoid confrontation. Webster defines nice as pleasant and agreeable, and confrontation is unpleasant and disagreeable. Of course, Christians should be nice. If nice people avoid confrontation, the conclusion follows as a matter of logic: Christians should avoid confrontation.
The conclusion, however, is false. Evil exists and must be confronted — not by everybody all the time, perhaps, but at least by some people sometimes. The flaw in our reasoning is in the minor premise. Christians are, on occasion, morally obligated to be not nice. Protection of the weak may lead us into confrontation. Our dedication to the truth may.
Jesus did not shy away from confrontation. He met the proud and powerful head-on, not even bothering to mitigate the conflict with a little tact. Charles Wesley wrote a hymn of praise to “Gentle Jesus, meek and mild.” In some circumstances, in reaction to some people, the adjectives fit. On other occasions, Jesus was as meek and mild as a bolt of lightning.