Meekness is that quality of humility inwrought by the Spirit of Christ in the believer which makes his life so attractive to the saved and unsaved alike. Meekness was one of the winsome characteristics of the spotless Son of God. "I am meek and lowly in heart," He said of Himself in Matthew 11:29.
The apostle Paul, when exhorting the believers in the church at Corinth, speaks of that meekness, saying, "Now I, Paul, myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ . . ." (2 Corinthians 10:1).
"Love is no braggart," he wrote in another letter to that church, "it is not inflated with its own importance."
The apostle Peter wrote to the women of his day, saying that they should not think so much of adorning themselves outwardly to make them attractive; but rather—
"Let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." (1 Peter 3:4)
Now in the work of the Lord especially, whether in dealing with believers or unbelievers, it is essential that we possess the spirit of meekness. For instance, in the matter of dealing with a brother who has fallen, Paul writes:
"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." (Galatians 6:1)
Also, when dealing with the unconverted concerning the truth of God, we need this quality of humility, as Paul says—
"In meekness instructing those who oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentence to the acknowledging of the truth." (2 Timothy 2:25)
Meekness means literally "without self." Oswald Chambers, in his own inimitable way, wrote: "One of the great test proofs that we are drawing on the grace of God is that we can be humiliated without manifesting the slightest trace of anything but His grace in us."
The antithesis of meekness is pride. Some Christians, instead of manifesting the spirit of meekness, are so proud that they will not stoop to perform the little tasks that are so necessary in the work of the Lord. They are afraid they might lose their reputation for greatness.
They remind one so much of the servants in India who refuse to do anything that breaks their caste, so that some masters are obliged to have a dozen servants to do the work of one. In relation to the thought of lowly service in the Lord's work, the Mother of the Salvation Army said to the officers of that movement with great feeling:
"If Jesus had stood upon his dignity, He would never have come to die between two thieves. The whole work of Redemption is the work of humiliation, self-sacrifice, and suffering. And if we are not willing to follow Him in these, we may as well give up professing His Name. The Lord help us to go down—down among the poor, the weak, the unlearned, the vulgar; to condescend to men of low estate."
Temperance Temperance means, literally, "Self Control." It is the last of the flavors of the fruit mentioned, and closes the array of the graces, holding the post of rear-guard which checks on all stragglers and protects the march from surprise and treacherous overthrow. Temperance is the grace to hold one's appetites under control. In the account of the temptation in the wilderness, we see our Kinsman-Redeemer holding His hunger under control, resisting the suggestion of Satan that He should turn the stones into bread.
One of the characteristics of the Spirit-filled life is that of moderation. The classic passage concerning this grace is found in 1 Corinthians 9:25-27:
"Now every athlete who goes into training conducts himself temperately, and restricts himself in all things. . . . Therefore I do not run uncertainly—without definite aim. I do not box as one beating the air and striking without an adversary. But (like a boxer) I buffet my body—handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships—and subdue it for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit . . . and rejected (as a counterfeit)." (Amplified New Testament)
The believer under the control of the Spirit will be temperate or moderate in his talk, his dress, his sleeping and eating habits and in dealing with the opposite sex. He will be temperate even in his work for the Lord. It is one thing to "subdue" our bodies as Paul did; it is another thing to abuse it. For one reason or another, many of God's servants are abusing their bodies today. Some unknowingly become proud and make idols of their work and thus go overboard in seeking to promote it. Their lives seem to revolve around what they are doing for God and not around God Himself. Others get caught up in the "machinery" of their service and find no time to draw aside regularly for a deep, quiet, inner devotional love-life with their Heavenly Father, Their service becomes cold and mechanical and, because of stress and strain, they lose their health. Still other sincere servants of Christ are so zealous in the work that they refuse to take time for physical and mental relaxation of any sort. This was my mistake in my early years of service for the Lord. "Souls are going to hell all around us," I insisted as do many others, "And the time is so short, I cannot take time to go off and rest." Now I have learned that every servant of God must take time off for diversion and rest in order that he might remain a fit vessel for God to use. The balanced worker will be led by the Spirit of God concerning the times he should take off from his busy schedule for relaxation with his family. When a worker overworks himself and suffers a nervous breakdown, it is not only he who suffers, but also his fellow-workers and the whole work in general. The Savior said to His disciples:
"Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place and rest awhile: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat." (Mark 6:31)
In this verse we find both permission and exhortation from our Lord to be moderate in our habits of work and rest. Is the servant wiser than his Master? It is the rested worker that God is able to use most effectively.
My hands were growing feverish,
And cumbered with much care;
Trembling with haste and eagerness,
Nor folded oft in prayer.
The Master came and touched my hands
(With healing in His own),
And calm and still to do His will
They grew—the fever gone.
"I must have quiet hands," said He,
"Wherewith to work My works through thee."George Bowen was one of the saintliest men who ever trod the soil of India. He used to say that when the devil saw that the crucifixion of Christ which he considered to be his greatest victory, was suddenly followed by His resurrection and ascension and the gift of the Spirit, he said to himself, "This is a forlorn hope, if this Christ whom I have been fighting is going to reproduce Himself in tens of thousands of His followers, then I am already defeated!"
Yet it is just this reproduction of Christ with His excellent qualities that the Holy Spirit is seeking to work in the Lord's redeemed ones today. This is God's plan and purpose in redemption. But He cannot deliver us and lead us into a place of victory as long as we are holding onto some fleshly indulgence, some secret sin, some unholy alliance. He cannot reproduce the "image of His Son" in us if our minds are engaged with other gods and occupied with services other than His.
Years ago, two ladies visited the Niagara Falls and, while there, decided they would visit the cave underneath the Falls. All went well until they got halfway along the narrow ledge leading to the cave, and there they grew afraid. They lost nerve. Gripping the handrail, they were unable to proceed any further. The guide went on across with the party, but upon looking around discovered these two were absent and went back for them. He took the first lady by the hand and led her safely over. Then he went back for the second. He was unable to lead her away, however, because she was gripping the handrail so tightly. He said to her, "Madam, you must let go both hands, or I cannot help you." Then she did let go and so was safely led across.
Oh, dear reader, as we come to the close of our meditations together, my heart goes out to you for the sake of our beloved Lord. His honor and His glory are at stake. He died, not only that you might be saved, but that you might become holy. Through the efficacy of His death, He would make you to become like Himself in thought, word, and deed. May the Spirit of Holiness transform your life!
Thrice blessed Spirit! Giver of Salvation,
Purchased by Jesus on the Cross of shame;
Dwell in our hearts; transform them with Thy beauty—
Fairest adorning of our Saviour's Name.Thy ninefold grace bestow on us freely:
Love, deep and full, to God and all mankind;
Joy in the Lord, 'mid every earthly sorrow,
Peace, calm and sweet, that guardeth heart and mind.Make us longsuffering, 'mid earth's provocations;
Gentleness give us, when enduring wrong;
Goodness import, that we e'en foes may succour;
Faithfulness grant, to change our toil to song.Meekness bestow, with humble self-abasement
And self-control, through Thy controlling might:
And as we list to every call of duty
May we do all as in Thy searching sight.Then with the gift of holiness within us;
We—not less human, but made more Divine;
Our lives replete with Heaven's supernal beauty
Ever declare, "That beauty, Lord, is Thine!"—James Mountain
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Asheville, NC 28816
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