Article: 007

 

MEEK DOESN’T MEAN WEAK

 

I’m humble and I’m meek, doesn’t mean that I’m helpless or I’m weak but a foolish man believes that he can walk right over me.

 

The above lyrics, from a song by the group Trin-i-ty, and is a made up dialogue from Jesus to Judas. The wonderful thing about this song is that it really drives home the problem that most Christians suffer from today. It is believed that being a Christian means we are nothing more than people whom others use and sponge off of and to have to simply smile and say, “God bless you, you’re welcome.”

 

Christianity is associated by the outside world with weakness and indifference. Were we really called to be cowards? Does the freedom that we sing about in songs mean that we have to be in bondage as perpetual pushovers? To answer this we must look at the ultimate and diving Example, Jesus Himself:

 

John 2:13-17 (NKJV)

Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!”

 

Hands up all those who, if walking into a Church that is blatantly doing something you know would be considered an insult to God, would use their own initiative to cause a ruckus and chase people out with a weapon? That’s what I thought.

 

What sort of strength of character do you think it took for Jesus to do that? That example alone shows that Jesus was no push over.

 

And what about this next example (underlined verses are my own emphasis):

 

Matthew 23:13-33 (NKJV)

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.”

      “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one [convert], and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.”

      “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’ Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it. Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? Therefore he who swears y the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. Ad he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.”

      “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!”

      “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.”

      “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

      “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’

      “Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then the measure of your father’s guilt. Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?

 

I don’t think that the Pharisees and teachers of the law were in any doubt about where they stood with Jesus after that tongue lashing. For those of you who believe that Jesus was simply a ‘soft and sweet’ man who barely raised His voice above a whisper, do you think He said everything above in a gentle sotto voice and with a smile on His face? Certainly not. Although a parent loves their child, their voice becomes harsh when the child requires correction and discipline. Jesus was a spiritual parent who was correcting His people (or at least, as he was trying to point out, those who claimed to be God’s people).

 

So does the above criticism from Jesus sound like someone who is mild and meek? Again, think of who you look up to spiritually and imagine ever having to rebuke them. Now that is what it was like in Jesus’ day. Despite how the spiritual leaders were towards the common man, they were revered and looked up to by the multitudes. I’m sure that when Jesus admonished the Pharisees there were a lot of on-looking jaws which dropped in shock and astonishment.

 

Now we’ve gone over where Jesus rebuked those who were considered His enemies. What about those close to Him?

 

Matthew 16:23 (NKJV) (underlined verses are my own emphasis)

From the time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

 

We all know the softer side of Jesus, but very rarely think of His stronger side. We need to find a balance between showing love and humility on one side, and strength of character on the other. Jesus had that balance perfectly and knew which strength to show at the appropriate time.

 

The song by Trin-i-ty goes on to say:

 

Judas you messed up you do know just who I am – Royalty, you should not mess with me.

 

How awesome are those words? Does that not impact or hit a strike with you? Despite how Jesus looked, dressed or what his earthly occupation was, at the end of the day He was, and always will be, royalty. He was a humble King, but His humility caused people to overlook His royalty. Judas knew exactly who Jesus was, but it either didn’t fully impact on him or he just took Jesus for granted. And, despite the humility Jesus showed, He was not a person anyone should have messed with.

 

It’s an unfortunate truth but showing humility leaves one open to misuse by others. That is why it’s important to set boundaries in our lives for others and to use our strength of character, as demonstrated by Jesus, when those boundaries are crossed or tested. And this strength doesn’t have to be done with arrogance or with a mean attitude, but with love-edged forcefulness. Basically a “I love you but don’t push me” approach.

 

Part of this strength is knowing when to say yes and knowing when to say no. Being a Christian and being humble does not mean being a push over for others or giving in to every request simply because we think to ourselves WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) and then feel guilty if we think that Jesus would have said yes.

 

Another part of this strength is standing up for ourselves when the situation calls for it against those who would seek to scare or intimidate us to be otherwise. In such situations we must not allow fear to be our masters. If you’re scared then do it afraid but put on an attitude of strength. The right attitude, regardless of the feelings lying beneath, will eventually merge with the wearer and eventually you will find that the “put on” attitude of strength becomes the real deal and a part of who you are.

 

Do you think that Jesus wanted to verbally lay in to the Pharisees or rebuke Peter? I don’t think so. Do you think that a loving parent wants to shout at and punish their child? Definitely not. Jesus did what had to be done when it needed to be done and we must do the same.

 

God bless,

 

Reaching Out Ministries