Gentleness and Respect

Lately I’ve been thinking about what it means to share and defend the Gospel with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).  Or with the same love, compassion and directness of Jesus when He spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well.  Or the way Paul speaks to people in the Book of Acts.  To talk with people in such a way, even when defending the faith, that the love of Christ shines through.  Genuine love for people that colors my words, my tone, my attitude, my actions as I tell people of the reality of sin and the supremacy of Christ.  The ability to conduct myself in this manner comes only by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Left to myself, I am simply not capable.  The Lord by His grace exposes our inability to truly love, or truly obey, apart from Him.  He empowers us to love others and show gentleness and respect.

Some Scripture that come to mind:

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience- 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved- 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:1-10

With a proper perspective I now have a foundation (the Gospel!) with which to understand and obey 1 Peter 3:15 (in context):

13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
1 Peter 3:13-17

Out of obedience and because of the grace that God has shown us personally, will we commit to communicate the Gospel with gentleness and respect as we tell others about Jesus?