"MEEK DOES NOT MEAN MILD"

Matt.5

Jesse was the local banker in this small Eastern N.C. town. Jesse and I were fishing buddies. On this particular night we were fishing for Spots on the Emerald Isle Peer. Sometimes those peer fishing experiences become rather long as one waits for one school of fish to swim by after the other has left.

It was during such a lull that Jesse gave me my evening lesson in ecomomics. He had just returned from a Professional Seminar on Banking. The leader of the Seminar had proven to the satisfaction of those there that if all the wealth in the world was evenly distributed among all the inhabitants of the earth in 50 years the same persons who possess it now would again possess it.

The premise was based on the belief that some people know how to handle money, and property; and some do not. The ones who do by definition wind up with it all.

TODAY'S BEATITUDE: Happy are the MEEK for they will wind up with this world. Everyone can participate in this beatitude. In fact,  every person has as their life's goal is "to have a piece of the rock"  ... then  be a MEEK person.

In the scriptue lesson of the morning Jesus was dealing with those persons who are going to have the physical world. Happy is the Meek person for they shall inherit the earth. 

Who is this Meek person?

Most of us think of a Meek person as one who is a door mat for others. That person takes everything ... never asserts themselves.

The Mr. Peepers type of person. For you youngsters Mr. Peepers was something of a bashful, nerd type person. A door mat that everyone ran over.

Was he talking about the financially astute.  Most Meek persons are probably financially astute. Not all wealthy people are meek; but the person who gets ahead in life is most of the time a meek person.

HAPPY IS THE PERSON WHO IS MEEK FOR HE WILL CONTROL THE WORLD.

THIS IS NOT THE ORIGINAL MEANING OF THE WORD MEEK.

The ancients held that the mean between extremes was the meek position.

THE WORD WAS ONCE ASSOCIATED PROMENANTLY WITH HORSES. A HORSE WAS MEEK WHEN IT WOULD TAKE TO THE BIT. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE HORSE AND THE RIDER BECAME ONE. THE TWO OF THEM REACHED THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SYMETRY TOGETHER.

We were sitting in the stands of old Dorton Arena, Raleigh, NC several years ago during the National Horse Show watching one of the beautiful three gaited championship horse classes. There were about 30 horses in the class. The two people sitting next to me were judging the show with the judge. One of the individuals was a neophyte and the other knowledgeable. After a few minutes the one who seemed to be knowledgeable read out a list of 5 numbers and predicted that they would place in the top 5. He was somewhat hesitant to predict which one would be first. Those horses are the class of that group. However, any small thing will decide how they are lined up. Did you see number 301. He's on my list but he's started fighting the bit. How do you know? Watch his head responded the friend. He's trying to shake the bit out of his mouth. The rider is nervous and has too much pressure on the bit. Sure enough when the class was tied. This horse was about third. Another horse placed 1st.

In this situation the horse is completely under control of the rider and perfectly collected. The two become as one. The horse is meek because he is submissive for a purpose, and as long as he is treated well.  He is completely under control.

What Jesus is saying is Happy is the person who with the Inner strength which comes from God has their life under control for they will inherit the earth.

The Bible lists only Two persons who were meek people.

MOSES: The Bible says in Numbers 12:3 ..."Now Moses was a meek man, the humblest man on earth."

This is the selfsame man  went before Pharoah and said I've been sent down here by God to tell you to let my people go.  He led them out and toward the promised land.   Numbers 12:3

JESUS: Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek, and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for you souls. Matthew 11:29

Jesus was many things ... a door mat was not one of them. He was a person with a great deal of understanding and patience. He was a person of great insight. An individual with tremenduous spiritual and personal powers. He was many things but a door mat he was not.

HOW DOES ONE DEFINE MEEKNESS?

WILLIAM BARCLAY TRANSLATES THE GREEK WORD PROATES TO HAVE THREE BASIC MEANINGS:

1. One who has the right kind of temper

2. A person in control of ones life, responsive to God

3. Knows ones limits and accepts them.

Becoming a Meek person is a life long inner task. It begins when one comes to terms with one's inner self. When we learn to accept our own capabilities, our own picture of who we are, our own voice, our own physical attributes, our family, and our selves,  we have become a meek person.

It is this type of person we want as president of our country, the leader of our state, county and city. We want these people to lead the church. They are solid, down to earth, caring types of people. They are indeed Meek.

I've had the privilege of serving some of these people in my life. ONE SUCH PERSONS NAME IS ETHLYNE. She was the guidance counselor at a small high school in the Eastern part of the state. One morning she called the church office and asked if I minded riding with her to check on one of our church members. She was concerned about this girl and knew I was too. She had run away from home, and was staying in a mobile home with some people. When we got to the Mobile home she was by herself. We were trying to persuade her to come home when a car drove up and three marines got out carrying a couple cases of beer. They wanted to know who we were and what we were doing there. We told them that we were concerned for the young ladies welfare. They asked us to leave. They told us there was nothing we could do. That's true said, Ethlyne. It is our intentions to call the base chaplain in an hour and have her father contacted. Since he is an officer in the Corps there may be something he can do.

In an hour the young lady was home, and the next day back in school. Ethlyne was a tough lady. She was quiet. The titular leader of her church. A person of dignity and strength. She took on the most difficult task when she had too.

Even the bravest of the brave saw and respected that inner strength she had.

Through Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit you can own this gift of life.  I challenge you to began your quest today.  Amen.