Is Meekness The Same As Weekness
When you hear the word �meek� what comes to your mind? Weakness? Meekness means weakness in most peoples minds. For the most part a meek fellow is a milquetoast someone who falls over at the first puff of harsh wind, OR like Uriah Heep a dickens character he would ooze alongside people wringing his hands whimpering �I�m so humble you know so very humble�. That�s not humble that�s just creepy. A meek person may be that sort of person or the kind of person of the clergy as is often depicted in movies and television about fifty percent of the time: harmless to be sure but laughable in their naivet�, gullibility, and trusting simple mindedness. I use that fifty percent as a marker simple because the other half of the time the clergy is depicted cold cruel and judgmental) We�ve got something wrong here because Jesus speaks of himself as �meek and lowly in heart�. We have missed something or there is something amiss in our understanding of meekness Lets look at Moses for a moment Number 12:3 3: (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.) Moses is the meekest of all and Moses as we all know if a pretty intense figure in our Christian History and looms larger than anyone except Christ. He towers over Prophets, kings, priest, seers. Moses is tougher than a pine knot tougher than spring steel more durable than Kevlar�And Moses is the meekest of all of God�s men. Ok so Moses is meek, Jesus is meek. Christ�s people are to be meek, for the meek are to inherit the earth. Paul tells the Christians in Colosse to clothe themselves in meekness. James insists that Christians are to exemplify meekness born of true wisdom. So that poses the question. What is meekness? Before we try to gain some understanding of what the apostles thought of the work and manner that characterizes our discipleship we have to first understand the greek word pra/utes Or Meek�this word had a long history centuries before Jesus walked the earth. Xenophenon described meek as a wild horse that has been tamed but whose spirit has not been broken. Because the wild horse has been tamed, it is useful, but its spirit is not broker so it is still lively spirited vigorous and energetic. Plato used the word to describe a victorious general that spares the conquered people. A general had triumphed over a whole race of people he allowed these people whom he could have wiped from existence to not only live but to thrive. He also uses the word referring to a physician who does what he must do to treat a patient but does his best to cause as little pain as possible. And we have all had a doctor do something that we were almost sure at the time was worse than the problem we came in with. But in the long run was in our best interest. Socrates describes a meek person as one who can argue effectively a matter of importance without losing his temper. Aristotle uses it to describe a person who is properly angry at injustice but does not give in to ill temper or a vindictive action. Now if we bring all these illustrations of that word �meek� we see that meekness is strength exercised through a certain amount of gentleness. Remember that wild horse form earlier it is now gentle enough to be harnessed but spirited and strong enough to be of use. The general is strong yet he was gentle or he would not have spared the conquered people. And then provided them the resources to thrive just as America did after World War II. The physician gently as possible goes about his work so as not to cause the patient any more discomfort then necessary but willing to do whatever is required cure the patient. Meekness is far from weakness. Meekness is strength exercised through gentleness. Jesus entered Jerusalem in his triumphal entry just a week before his death and it is a triumph because He is the conquering one he proclaims his rule over the whole of creation. Not as a dictator or a tyrant but by subjecting himself to his subjects. His throne is the cross even his crown is made of thorns He is sovereign and this sovereignty is demonstrated by his gentleness. There are several situations where we are called to be meek in Paul�s letter to the Galatians Galatians, chapter 6:1-6 1: Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2: Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3: For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 4: But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5: For every man shall bear his own burden. 6: Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. There are two mistakes we make when one of our own needs to be corrected the first is to assume that nothing needs to be said or done. This may seem like an act of kindness but in fact it is cruelty it is never Ok to leave such a person with the idea that everything is fine. That don�t mean that every one in the church needs to be jumping down their throat or that they even need to be aware of it. But how could a Christian be aware of a brother or sisters misstep that can only poison them and eventually harm others and in the end help no one at all. To watch as a fellow Christian as he drifts further and further into sin. His mind blinded and his heart hardened as they rationalize their behavior as to eventually become ridiculous: To be aware of this and to do nothing is to fail to truly love this person. The second mistake is to make this correction with out a loving intent to aid them. In this matter�not to use that transgression as an avenue of revenge even if you start out with a righteous cause and may have at the time thought you were doing the right thing often our underlying agenda is revenge for some past wrong maybe not even a transgression from that particular person. We all make mistakes I would hate to be dressed down in public for unintentionally hurting someone�s feeling or for meandering from the path of following God. But if I have done either of these things it would be wrong to let me continue thinking I was Ok that my actions were acceptable. To leave me uncorrected would only make my sin compromised situation worse. Like everyone else when I need to be corrected I want it to be done gently and with good intention not just used as an opportunity to dress me down in front of as many people as possible just to demonstrate their religious superiority over me. We all know that some offences are intentional and will be taken as such, but also an offence can be taken where no offence was given. All three are situations where we must correct one another. If the offence was intentional then the offender should be taken aside and gently corrected. If not offence was unintended but was given then the offender should be informed that even though they meant no harm (at least consciously) he is still guilty and needs to be informed so that he may correct it before it gets out of hand and someone finds themselves hurt and angry. Now if someone takes offence and there was nothing to be offended about then the offended person should then be corrected in this situation the offended should be taken aside and shown where the offence was either imagined, or taken out of context. No matter how upset the person is pricked by the non existent offence. We see these situations played out not just in our church life but in our worldly lifeas well. They happen every day and each requires a different approach. In one it is the offended that needs to be approached and the other�the offenders who need corrected but again gently not abrasively nor aggressively as our nature tells us we should� but with humility and gentleness. Angry denunciation ends in a flare ups of hurt feeling and frustration. Caustic rebuke provokes retaliation. Mocking contempt produces smoldering rage that burn under the surface before it finally bursts to the surface scorching everything in its path. A friend of mine tells of how his father was called before the church he grew up in and was dressed down in front of The whole congregation. As it turns out that the offence was all conjecture and rumor�there was not one shred of truth in any of it except that he parked his car beside a beer garden where the owner a high school friend would keep his eye on it while he worked the evening shift over at Island Creek # 25 mine. Have you heard the story of the little old lady in the church that went to the deacons and complained that Mr. Jones had been parking at a divorced woman�s house for several nights in a row and everyone knew what that meant. Her being divorced and all. And she could see his truck from her house across the street and knew that Mr. Jones� truck did not move until the wee hours of the morning and there was no telling what was going on in there and that he should be held accountable and he was called before the deacons and had to explain himself. He explained that it was just a block from his work and that way he could walk and did not have to pay for parking. But he was reprimanded anyway because this lady had no reason to lie. Next Monday evening and for the next few weeks. Mr. Jones� parked his truck in from of the old lady�s house. And the first thing you know Mr. Jones and this lady were both before the board of deacons when asked what he was doing at the lady�s house all night he said�The very same thing I was doing when I was parking across the street from Missus Noneyous� house. The he stood dropped his letter excusing himself from fellowship of the church and walked out leaving Missus Noneyous�. To try to explain her non existent decadent behavior alone. No one is genuinely humbled by public humiliation. No one is helped to own his or her own baggage by ridicule. No one is brought back to the fold by being taunted or laughed at. And of course no one is moved to faith by having to defend themselves as if their life depended on it. I think we have all seen these things happen in our lives in both our life in the world and our churches. We should strive to fix these problems by being gentle and discrete. Not pious and dictatorial. Our Lord was never gentler than when The woman caught in adultery was brought to him to be stoned he stood between her and her accusers. John 8 starting in three 3: And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4: They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5: Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6: This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7: So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8: And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9: And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10: When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11: She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. He could have justly taken the hard way but He chose to be gentle and kind. We know that He was meek but this required strength of conviction and a forgiving and loving heart. Our Meek Jesus was not a wimp he was willing to do what had to be done. When Jesus cleared the temple this was not the act of a weak or faint hearted man. This was a man with a purpose. A man filled with righteous indignation protecting something that He loved. We need to cast off the Idea that Christians are supposed to be faint of heart and weak in spirit. We are supposed to be strong and willing to stand up for those weaker than us. It is our duty to be there for everyone who needs our help even if it means we have to risk ourselves to do so. And if we must cause a little conflict to right a wrong then that is just how it will have to be, I refuse to give up my manhood to suit people who want to hide behind the meek shall inherit the earth passage. To protect themselves as they stand idly (IDLE-LY) by as people set out to intentionally hurt or sully the reputation of others by trying to make me believe they were just being good Christians by avoiding conflict. We are to be meek like that wild horse tame but not broken in spirit. Like the general a conqueror but also compassionate man who understands. That power comes with responsibility. A responsibility to stand up for what we believe in�Our faith�Our right to practice it�and our right to be the person we are. Be kind, be gentle, treat one another with love and respect. But do not let anyone tell you that you are to let anyone run over you. That is not what Christ went to the cross for He went so that we might be free not bound by some incorrect assumption that we are to be weaklings. Be strong in faith and be strong in Christ.
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