Meekness the forgotten fruit

Walking Ellie the dog is certainly a challenge at times! The thing that most gets between us is squirrels. She can be calmly walking alongside me when she spots one of those cute little rodents and then its 0-60mph in 2 seconds, my arm is almost wrenched out of its socket and I’m plunged headlong into briars or bushes. The key thing is to anticipate the moment otherwise you’re off!! The result can become some sort of tug of war between a Boxer/Staffordshire bull terrier who looks as if she’s been on steroids and an overweight pastor struggling to preserve a modicum of apparent control.

 

Now power can be great but it needs to be controlled or it’s a dangerous thing in the wrong hands. I remember a lecturer at Bible College giving me a definition of meekness that has always struck me. Meekness is not weakness or passivity, its “controlled strength”. It conjures up the idea of a horse or an oxen which has been tamed and bridled. Its power is undiminished but its now controlled. Scripture tells us in Timothy that “God has not given us a spirit of timidity but of love, power and self discipline”. Jesus encourages us to take His Yoke upon us and learn from Him.

 

We do need to exhibit this gentle strength in our service of God, whatever we are doing. Headstrong dynamism that is uncontrolled and is going off all over the place is certainly an exciting roller coaster of a ride but the energy is more like that of a firework display than a boiler. Our example in the use of  power and manifestation of our gifts is that of Jesus. If we learn and listen to Him we won’t go far wrong.