Meekness in the Crucible OR . . . If It's Not Broken It Needs to Be!
A Life of Discovery
December 8, 2007
Larry R Evans
Questions for Reflection
1. Service to others is best done when we have a sense of self-confidence and not when we feel life has broken us. 2 Cor 12:10] True or False?
2. If it’s not broken it may not be fixed. [Jn 21:15-18] True or False?
3. God sometimes tests our capacity for compassion by allowing us to experience from others opposition, disobedience and criticism. [Jonah 4] True or False?
4. Genuine compassion for blatant sinners is sometimes as difficult to demonstrate as it is for sinners to change their ways.[Lk 7:36-37] True or False?
5. Love for our enemies, according to Matt 5, is developing a warm positive feeling towards those who have mistreated us. [Mt 5:45,48] True or False?
6. Humility begins by changing our attitude about our self. [Ex 3:1-14] True or False?
Introduction
Some years ago I discovered a wonderful devotional book. The wife of Oswald Chambers gathered numerous thoughts he had written or presented in various lectures and formed the devotional book. Here is one quote that I think is priceless and one that does a superb job of ushering in our subject for today’s study.
“Our Lord’s teaching is always anti-self-realization. His purpose is not the development of a man; His purpose is to make a man exactly like Himself, and the characteristic of the Son of God is self-expenditure. If we believe in Jesus, it is not what we gain, but what He pours through us that counts. It is not that God makes us beautifully rounded grapes, but that He squeezes the sweetness out of us. Spiritually, we cannot measure our life by success, but only by what God pours through us, and we cannot measure that at all.” (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, Sept. 2)
One dictionary defines meekness as “enduring injury with patience and without resentment” while the Bible identifies Moses as meek (KJV) or “as a very humble man” (NIV). [Num 12:3] As an introduction to our study today, perhaps it would be good for us to examine briefly why Moses could be considered meek or humble, that is, how he revealed the quality of “enduring injury with patience without resentment.” I found Anthony Gavin’s chapter in The Refiner’s Fire very helpful in this respect. He cites six examples where meekness shined through Moses as he served as God’s appointed leader to guiding a very difficult ungrateful people from Egyptian captivity to the Promised Land.
1. Num. 11:1-3 The people complain that Moses is making life difficult for them. God sends fire but Moses cried out in their behalf and spares the people.
2. Num. 12 Jealousy consumes Moses’ own relatives and they criticize him. Moses pleads with God to restore Miriam from leprosy which resulted from God’s punishment.
3. Num. 13; 14 The people’s anger demand that Moses be replaced—even talk about stoning him! Again God is ready to bring judgment upon the people but Moses intercedes.
4. Num 16 All of Moses’ assistant leaders gang up against him—the very one’s from whom he needed support! Again Moses intercedes for those who ready to do him harm.
5. Num 16 Although Korah, the leader of the rebellion is killed, the people are spared yet they blame Moses for Korah’s death! The intercession by Moses and Aaron halts a spreading plague due to the attitude of these rebellious support staff.
6. Num 20 On the threshold of the Promised Land God tests His people one more time to see if they have learned the invaluable lesson of trust but instead of trust in God they blamed Moses. Once again Moses falls prostrate pleading for mercy for the people under his charge.
Meekness can hardly be considered weakness but it is unconventional. Meekness takes strength of character and perhaps this is why it is so often hard to come by.
1. Service to others is best done when we have a sense of self-confidence and not when we feel life has broken us. 2 Cor 12:10] False
There is a sense in which we need confidence but confidence in what? Ourselves or rather in what God can do through us. Note what Paul said,
2 Cor 12:8-10
8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (NIV)
2. If it’s not broken it may not be fixed. [Jn 21:15-18] True
Some years ago I read a book entitled, Wholeness in a Broken World. It was a good book but I would like to suggest that in order to be whole we need to be broken and the process of being “broken” can be painful yet necessary. I think of Peter of whom at first it would be an understatement to say that he was self-confident. His own brokenness came when his own behavior ruptured his air of confidence. Peter became dismayed with himself for he betrayed the one whom he loved—not once but three times! The meekness of Jesus, however, is what restored Peter! Note the story of Jesus piecing Peter back together but this time in a “wholly” different way.
John 21:15-19
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
16 Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"
He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
17 The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. 18 I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!" (NIV)
3. God sometimes tests our capacity for compassion by allowing us to experience from others opposition, disobedience and criticism. [Jonah 4] True
Opposition from others can certainly be a humbling experience but it can also be a learning experience—insightful into our own character. We’ve read about Moses in the face of opposition but the story of Jonah reveals something else – our image or reputation in the eyes of others can become a blockade to becoming like Jesus.
Jonah 3:10-4:4
10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.
4:1 But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. 2 He prayed to the LORD, "O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live."
4 But the LORD replied, "Have you any right to be angry?"(NIV)
4. Genuine compassion for blatant sinners is sometimes as difficult to demonstrate as it is for sinners to change their ways.[Lk 7:36-37] True
Luke 7:36-48
36 Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37 When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38 and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is-that she is a sinner."
40 Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said.
41 "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"
43 Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."
"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.
44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
48 Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." (NIV)
5. Love for our enemies, according to Matt 5, is developing a warm positive feeling towards those who have mistreated us. [Mt 5:45,48] False
Matt 5:43-48
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.(NIV)
Is Jesus talking about developing a warm feeling or is He suggesting something else? Note verse 5 again. God’s love, care and sense of fairness is impartial regardless of how they may have treated Him. Are we impartial in doling out acts of kindness and generosity?
6. Humility begins by changing our attitude about our self. [Ex 3:1-14] False
In my opinion, of all the questions this question probably holds the key to how we can best achieve true “meekness or “humility.”
Ancient Greeks had an adage for acquiring wisdom and that was: “Know Thyself.” I found the following excerpt from a Christian website,
The Seven Sages of Greece understood the simple secret to a happy, peaceful, satisfied, contented and meaningful life about 500 years BC. ... all summed up in two words: "Know thyself." When we know ourselves we know the truth that sets us free ... free from fear and deeply held false beliefs, and consequently, free to be healthy, happy, satisfied and contented.
Knowing ourselves is the key to a loving, happy, satisfied and contented life. Listening to ourselves is the key to knowing ourselves.
Although this did not get recorded in the Bible, Jesus said, "The Kingdom of Heaven is within you; and whosoever knoweth himself shall find it"
What truth do you find here? Do you see a danger? What kind of danger?
Is Jesus saying that to become whole we need to develop what is already within us? Know thyself! How might we best understand ourselves? I think so and it is, I believe, the key to true humility and meekness: “Know Thy God and You Will Know Thyself.” Moses, the meekest man, began his unique role by knowing God first!
Ex 3:1-15
3:1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight--why the bush does not burn up."
4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!"
And Moses said, "Here I am."
5 "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." 6 Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
7 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey--the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."
11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"
12 And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain."
13 Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?"
14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
15 God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob--has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation. (NIV)
Humility begins by changing our attitude about God not forcing a change in attitude about our self. The source of “self-confidence” is not “self” but in the God whose name is open-ended: I Am ______. It is not self-realization but God realization. The question of Moses is the question that follows us everywhere we go and is with us in every trying situation thrust upon us: “Who am I?” That question, if it is every to be answered in its fullness must be answered in the context of the One who abides with us. Our identity is inseparably linked with Him and it is precisely that relationship that brings meekness—the kind of meekness that can endure “injury with patience and without resentment” because we are not alone. The I Am who is with us sustains us and we find our identity neither in ourselves nor in the the accusations thrown at us.
Concluding Reflection
“We are apt to imagine that if Jesus Christ constrains us, and we obey Him, He will lead us to great success. We must never put our dreams of success as God’s purpose for us; His purpose may be exactly the opposite. We have an idea that God is leading us to a particular end, a desire goal; He is not. The question of getting to a particular end is a mere incident. What we call process, God calls the end.” (Oswald Chambers, Our Utmost for His Highest, July 28)
The road to meekness is the road of process that always leads to and from the presence of God.
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