April 6, 2006
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Food for thought
I was studying some verses
tonight on the gentleness of God. Jesus describes himself as meek
or gentle and humble of heart (Matthew 11:29). I decided to look
up “meek” in W.E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of NT Words
and see how he defined this quality. His description is so
rich! Here, in part, is what he says about the noun “meek”:
…it consists not in a person’s
outward behaviour only; nor yet in his relations to his fellow-men; as
little in his mere natural disposition. Rather it is an inwrought grace of the soul; and the exercises of it are first and chiefly towards God. It is that temper of spirit in which we accept His dealing with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting; it is closely linked with the word humility. It is only the humble heart which is also the meek, and which, as such does not fight against God and more or less struggle and contend with Him. This meekness, however, being first of all a meekness before God, is also such in the face of men, even of evil men,
out of a sense that these, with the insults and injuries which they may
inflict, are permitted and employed by Him for the chastening and
purifying of His elect.It must be clearly understood that meekness is the fruit of
power. Described negatively, meekness is the opposite to
self-assertiveness and self-interest; it is equanimity of spirit that is neither elated nor cast down, simply because it is not occupied with self at all.How far I am from that
kind of equanimity of spirit, that restful acceptance of all He sends,
that lack of being occupied with self!
These words remind me of the last lines from a favorite poem:Held without restless longing, or strain, or stress, or fret,
Or chafing at Thy dealings or thoughts of vain regret;
Be restful, calm, and pliant, from bend or bias free,
Permitting Thee to settle where Thou hast use of me.
Live out Thy life within me, oh, Jesus, King of Kings;
Be Thou Thyself the answer to all my questionings.
