MEEKNESS (PSL)

[The Way To Happiness]
[ Matthew 5:5 ]
A Message by Rev. Dr. Stanley Lim on 24 & 25 February 2001

INTRODUCTION:

Can you picture a meek person who is also a happy person? It is difficult, isn’t it? Our misunderstanding of “meekness” creates this difficulty. In a world which thinks that only the super aggressive, hard-driving person will ever get ahead in life, it is hard to believe that the “meek” shall inherit anything, much less “the earth!”.

Many of the bliblical writers has much to say about meekness.

a. James writes that meekness is to characterize our initial response to God’s truth
[James 1:21].

b. Peter says that Christians are to witness to others in a spirit of meekness
[1 Peter 3:15].

c. Paul lists meekness as one of the integral part of the fruit of the Spirit
[Gal.5:22,23].

When put together, these verses teach that meekness is a characteristic by which God promises to bring blessings in the lives of Christians and through them to others. Meekness is the way to happiness for the following reasons.

I. MEEKNESS MAINTAINS AN EVEN TEMPERAMENT.
Aristotle defines meekness as the mean between two extremes – extreme anger and excessive angerlessness. It is the happy medium between too much and too little anger. He describes as meek the man “who is angry on the right occasion and with the right people and at the right moment and for the right length of time.”

William Barclay, a Bible commentator suggests that the Beatitude be translated, “Blessed is the man who is always angry at the right time and never angry at the wrong time.”

When is the right time to be angry? When insult or injury is suffered by others, not ourselves. Well, how then does one develop this even temperament? The answer is, “You can’t!” But God can do it for your life what you cannot do for yourself! First, it is through salvation. Second, through the work of the Holy Spirit in us. It is through the gentle yielding to the Holy Spirit.

II. MEEKNESS DEVELOPS SELF-CONTROL.
The word used for meekness has a second meaning. Often it was used to express the idea of “self-control”. For instance an animal that otherwise would be wild but has been made a house pet would be called meek. It has learned to respond favorably to the command of another and to control itself.

Therefore, the Beatitude could be translated, “Blessed are they who are entirely self-controlled.” Weakness is giving in to the worst that is in you. Meekness is mastery over it.

To be meek does not mean that you are fearful or cowardly. But it does mean that you are strong enough not to retaliate when wrongly treated. Having their rights, the meek do not insist on them. The meek would choose rather forgive than accuse.

Such self-control results in peace with yourself. A person who cannot control his anger, his lust, his greed, his tongue, or his ambition would never be at peace within. He will constantly be at war with himself. A marriage in which neither partner practices self-control will never know real peace.

III. MEEKNESS EXPRESS ITSELF THROUGH GENTLENESS.
A3rd meaning of the Greek word for “meekness” tells us something else about this quality of the happy life. Meekness may be translated “kindness” or “gentleness”. Meekness and gentleness are characteristics of a strong not a weak person.

A. Gentleness is considerate of others [Gal.6:1]
A gentle person will be considerate of others even when the others have done wrong.

B. Gentleness admits faults to others [James 5:16]
The proud, the arrogant, the insecure can never bring themselves to do this. But the strong, the secure, the meek, the gentle have the courage to admit their faults to others. Benjamin Franklin once said, “None but a well-bred man knows how to confess a fault or acknowledge himself in error.”

C. Gentleness encourages others [Titus 3:2]
As long as you magnify the faults of others while minimizing your own you will never be happy.

D. Gentleness learns from other
A gentle person is apt to learn. He can be told something. Since he is eager to listen and learn, he will not do all the talking. He listens both to God and to his fellow men and in listening he learns much. Happy are the meek, the gentle who listen and learn.

IV. MEEKNESS IS ASSURED OF VICTORY
Jesus said of the meek that, “They shall inherit the earth.” Listen to these 4 statements for Psalms.

Psalms 37:9-11
“For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed, you will look diligently for his place, but it shall be no more. But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.”

Psalms 22:26
“The meek shall eat and be satisfied.”

Psalms 25:9
“The meek will he guide in judgment: And the meek will he teach his way.”

Psalms 147:6
“The LORD lifted up the meek.”

It is significant that Christ said that the meek shall “inherit” the earth and not “seize” the earth. An inheritor is a receiver, not an aggressor. God in His own providence has so structured the world that the meek are certain to inherit it.

CONCLUSION:
Meekness is so hard to develop. You are right, one cannot tell oneself to be meek and thus become meek. God knows this as well as you and I do. God never intended for you and me to be able to make ourselves meek. It is not just our nature to be meek. But what we cannot do for ourselves God does for us. He does it first through the new birth. Then He continues His work through the daily infilling of the Holy Spirit. Do you desire this way of happiness? Will you come to God who is able to grant this meekness to us today?