Holding your ground and being gentle aren’t opposites. No one wants what you have to offer if what you have to offer spells their own doom. As you enforce the rules you live by, don’t require the demise of those who comply, unless you somehow aim to redefine others as rule-breakers—and that’s never a good idea. Just ask King John.
Be gentle as you follow your code. Provide a path to redemption to the lost while upholding general principles that prevent people from getting lost in the first place. In keeping the goal of redemption, you’ll have no problem.