A simple life?

Sunday, September 25, 2005

A portion of a great book God's Treasury of Virtues. Take some time to read it ya.

Can borrow anyone's credit card to buy this book from amazon? Will pay u straight on the spot.

Meekness Misunderstood

In modern thinking, meekness is not a coveted quality, while there is hardly a characteristic which better distinguishes Christianity. Meekness to many means spinelessness, lack of courage or strength. It is the opposite. Most of the precious promises of the Scripture are to the the meek.

We like to think, "Blessed are the strong, the shrewd, those who stand up for their rights, those who refuse to be taken advantage of; those who always look out for slights those who strike it rich and make a success." We gave a tendency to set high value on self-assertion. The natural standpoint is that a strong person is one who not only does what he wills, but also bends others to do his will.

Meekness is not native to the natural soil of the heart. It is not a natural disposition or psychological makeup. It grows in the garden of the Holy Spirit. Meekess is meant to characterize every Christian regardless of temperament.

Meekness has a twofold expression. Toward God, it issues in complete trust and submission to God. Meekness is to be mastered by the will of God. It results in gentleness, consideration, courtesy. It is strength under control. Meekness is the character of the one who has the power to retaliate, yet remains kind. It is from such a spirit that the expression gentle-man or gentleman arises.

Meekness is an attitude toward God which manifests itself in gentleness toward others. It is an attitude of submission and yieldedness to God which results in the harnessing of our strength in godly ways toward our fellow man. It is love which seeks first not its own, but the things of God and others. The meek accept God's will and dealings without sulking, murmuring, rebellion, or resistence.

-C. Paul Willis
Bells and Pomegranates: The Gifts and Fruit of the Spirit