I hope & trust this post finds you having a great day, that you had an awesome week and that your weekend is off to a great start!
I am currently rereading one of my all time favorite books, Four Pillars of A Man's Heart: Brining Strength Into Balance by Stu Weber. Earlier this week I was reading a little section titled, "Meek" Isn't What You Think. I was reading and thinking, "that is really good!", I underlined several things, thought "that is really good!" a whole bunch of more times and then finally, "I gotta tell someone about this stuff!" Well Friends, you are the one's who I am going to share all this wonderful, insightful, God-inspired wisdom with...lucky you! :)
The following excerpts come directly from Mr. Weber's book:
- At its core, meekness requires great strength.
- ...a careful distilling of its background often conceptualizes it as "strength under control."
- ...the true champion is the horse, well bred and muscular, who has most clearly responded to his training. He is the picture of strength under control.
- The humble man makes the finest leader. The most effective leader is the man - strong in his soul and muscular in his spirit - who is most responsive to his Lord.
- Phillip Keller captures some of the spirit of meekness as an essential leadership quality: Meek men are not weak men...they refuse to shove, push, and throw their weight around. They do not win their wars with brutal battles and fierce fights. They win their way into a hundred hearts and homes with the passport of a lowly, loving spirit.
- Keller continues, Their unique genius is their gentleness. This quality of life does not come from a position of feeble impotence, but rather from a tremendous inner strength and serenity. Only the strong, stable spirit can afford to be gentle...This quality is much more than a thin veneer of proper propriety or superficial politeness...Rather, it is the epitome of a laid-down life, poured out, laid out, lived on behalf of others.
- Headship is always "giving up" one's self. Headship is never "lording it over" another.
- C.S. Lewis said: This headship, then, is most fully embodied not in the husband we should all wish to be but in him whose marriage is most like a crucifixion; whose wife receives most and gives least, is most unworthy of him, is - in her own mere nature - least lovable. For the Church has no beauty but what the Bridegroom gives her; he does not find, but makes her lovely. The chrism of this terrible coronation is to be seen not in the joy's of any man's marriage but in its sorrow, in the sickness and sufferings of a good wife or the faults of a bad one; in his unwearying (never paraded) care or his inexhaustible forgiveness; forgiveness, not acquiescence.
- Think about it. Christ did not come to earth for Himself, but for you. Your marriage is not given to you for you; it is given to you for her. Your marriage is not a gift for your satisfaction; it is a labor for her development. She is not a gratuity to you; you are a sacrifice for her. You are not drawn to her for her beauty; you are to render her beautiful through your own pain.
- The Christian husband works at great length to actually produce a beauty in his wife. He prays, "Lord, help me to make my wife the most beautiful woman in the world to me." And he puts the feet of mature, humble sacrifice to his prayers.
I also want to share a few more quotes about meekness with you. I pray you will think about this concept of meekness, of "strength under control," of "a laid-down life, poured out, laid out, lived on behalf of others." While Pastor Weber addressed the relationship between husband & wife, the same idea, the same concept applies to all the various forms of leadership - parent & child, coach & athlete, boss & employee, etc. Let these words speak deep to your spirit Friends.
The greatness of the man's power is the measure of his surrender. - William Booth
There's no reason to not be humble, because as great as you may be, you can always be greater. - Jarod Kintz
One should preach not from one's rational mind but rather from the heart. Only that which is from the heart can touch another heart. One must never attack or oppose anyone. If he who preaches must tell people to keep away from a certain kind of evil, he must do so meekly and humbly, with fear of God. - Thaddeus of Vitovnica
Just as meekness is in all our virtues, so is pride in all our sins. - Neal A Maxwell
Meekness is really the power of self-control. And greater is he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. - George A. Edgar
Meekness is not weakness, but spiritual strength harnessed for service. - Joe Cothen
Meekness is one of those mysterious virtues that we hardly even ponder. We may gossip that some blowhard is hardly humble, but we don't think, "You know, what that guy needs is a little more meekness." Meekness sounds wimpy, almost negative. If someone's meek, it sounds like they're a pushover. A doormat. A wimp. but here's the reality: true meekness exerts incredible power. Meekness is not weakness. Meekness is strength. It has softened hearts and toppled empires. It's a power that can't be countered. - Tom Paul Wheeler
Meekness is not a soft, yielding, natural disposition, nor a prudent bridling of a passionate nature; but it is humility applied to the world, not taking offense at the offenses of the world. - George A. Edgar
Meekness is tender; consulting the feelings of others, and willing to bear much pain rather than inflict any. - Unknown
Meekness is power completely surrendered to God's control. - John MacArthur
Meekness is when you are in a position of strength and power - yet you choose not to use hat power against your opponent, your critic, your accuser, your persecutor. - Michael Youssef
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your families. I will always be willing to help you any way I can.Have a great evening, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families.
Kev