Now that sounds ridiculous…

Over in Matthew 5.5 (NIV) there is one of the most misunderstood attitudes – the attitude of meekness.  “Happy are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” 

Now that sounds ridiculous.  In this day and age the talk is about pushing to get ahead, climbing over others, scrambling over the top.  The thought of the day would be that when the meek inherit the earth, some bully’s going to take it back anyway.  That verse doesn’t make sense today.

But the word “meek” has lost it’s meaning.  It doesn’t mean what it used to mean.  Today it’s a slur.  If you call a man meek, he’d be insulted.  You don’t put it on your resume. 

What do you think of when you think of meek? Casper Milktoast.  Some spineless jellyfish with no conviction. We say, “Meek as a mouse”.  A lady said to her husband, “Are you a man or a mouse?  Squeak up!” 

First of all we need to clear up the confusion, what is meekness? 

Well meekness is not weakness. 

There are only two men in the Bible called meek:  Jesus and Moses and neither of them were pushovers. 

Meekness means strength under control. 

The Greek word referred to a wild horse tamed or medicine that could tame a fever.  Strength under control. 

Did you hear about the Hell’s Angel group that went out to Cook’s Corner?  They walked in.  There was a truck driver setting over in the corner eating his dinner.  One of the Hell’s Angels walked over to him, picked up the plate of spaghetti and smashed it on the driver’s head.  He took the guy’s beer and poured it in his lap.  The truck driver didn’t do anything.  Got up, paid his bill and walked out. The Hell’s Angel looked over to the bartender and said, “Not much of a man is he?”  The bartender said, “Not much of a truck driver either.  He just ran over twelve choppers going out of here!”

Meekness means strength under control.

Just a thought from the front porch…