One of the ways to gauge or evaluate our own tenderheartedness, kindness, gentleness, humility, compassion is to ask other people if they think of us in these terms, without qualifying or explaining their answer. In other words, if they say something like,
"yes, I think you are a compassionate person, but it is hidden beneath a gruff, demanding and insensitive exterior,"
then we really need to adjust our demeanor and our interaction with people.
Being strong and being gentle are not mutually exclusive. Both qualities were clearly seen in Jesus, and should be clearly seen within us, without qualification.
