Saturday, November 12, 2011

James 1:21, and receive with meekness the implanted word,

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. NKJV
The Websters 1828 dictionary says this:

MEE'KNESS, n. Softness of temper; mildness; gentleness; forbearance under injuries and provocations.
1. In an evangelical sense, humility; resignation; submission to the divine will, without murmuring or peevishness; opposed to pride, arrogance and refractoriness. Gal.5.
I beseech you by the meekness of Christ. 1 Cor.10.
Meekness is a grace which Jesus alone inculcated, and which no ancient philosopher seems to have understood or recommended.

And of the word “meek”:

MEEK, a. [L. mucus; Eng. mucilage; Heb. to melt.]
1. Mild of temper; soft; gentle; not easily provoked or irritated; yielding; given to forbearance under injuries.
Now the man Moses was very meek, above all men. Num.12.
2. Appropriately, humble, in an evangelical sense; submissive to the divine will; not proud, self-sufficient or refractory; not peevish and apt to complain of divine dispensations. Christ says, "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls." Matt.11.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Matt.5.

Of late I had forgotten that meekness was a virtue extolled by Christ.

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls.” Matt. 11:29

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matt. 5:5

In the modern United States we tend to have a twisted view of meekness, and consider it more vice than virtue. Rather than a quality to seek out and desire, it is a sign of weakness and a passiveness that prevents us from reaching our goals and allows others to trample over us, a quality that guarantees all our dreams will be crushed.

But God wants to help us and guide us and for us to live our lives in the greatest and most fulfilling way possible under His divine will, the best life we can have*, yet Christ says that the meek will inherit the earth.

I want to consciously seek meekness in myself in daily life, and pray that God would lead me to meekness, that my character might become more in line with what God would have of me so that He can do all that He would do with my life.

I pray
to God
that He brings
my heart
to want
what He wants
for the reasons
He wants it.

*Though he doesn't promise a life free of pain or hardship, and this is something very important to understand.

1 comment:

  1. Yes today in the media and shows we see, have no meekness and little value. So sad, but yet turning to the word after a long day can be a new refreshing perspective on life and the Lord..

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