Gentleness and love once considered the bedrock of early family life in this comparatively new nation, at least from the maternal standpoint. Paternally men have been basically reared as warriors, breadwinners, robust athletes or other figureheads who would seem awkward, if not alien to the gentleness and love of fatherhood.
During one intensive weekend training session, a question was posed about “masculine and feminine qualities” which provoked much thought and conversation as gentleness and love are generaley perceived as feminine qualities. What then of the succinct Biblical statement “God is Love?” when God is the quintessence of love, patience, gentleness, kindness, forgiveness and mercy, all perceived as feminine qualities. How do we allow such stereotypical mindset to persist through the ages that a gentle and kind loving male is less masculine? To the contrary. It would take the epitome of strength (perceived as a masculine quality) to defy popular perceptions and be Christ-like!
“A new commandment I give unto thee, that ye love one another, even as I have loved thee and that ye love thy neighbor as thyself…”
Over 2000 years later we continue to view love and gentleness as feminine qualities while confusing male children and youth with the erroneous belief that displaying emotions of tenderness and love makes you less than “a man.”
How very foreign it is then in this New Day of God to hear Baha’u’llah, (God’s most recent Manifestation) now say, “We must love our neighbor more than ourselves and put his welfare before our own. If ye do this, what reason would he have to attack you?”
Consider also who would have been a neighbor when the words of Christ wee first spoken as compared to the “neighborhood” of today, which through the explosion of knowledge, science and technology, includes everyone on the face of the planet and could potentially include others in outer space!
“The time foreordained unto the peoples and kindred of the earth is now come…” resonates the trumpet blast of the Baha’i Writings. This is the next day in which God’s most excellent favors have been poured upon men, the day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all created things!
“Great indeed is this day! The allusions made to it in all the sacred scriptures as “the Day od God,” attest to its greatness! The soul of every Prophet of God, of every Divine Messenger hath thirsted for this Wondrous Day. All the diverse kindred of the earth have like wise yearned to attain it! It is then incumbent upon all the people of the world to reconcile their differences and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and loving kindness..” the ultimate source of gentleness and love.
