This is a post about why you’re probably not living for another age and why you should be. It’s about meekness. It’s about trusting God, being silent in accusation, and loving other people. It’s about laying down your life and finding Christ and inheriting lots of real estate. It’s not a read-it-got-it-that-was-cool post. It is a solid post that you should read a few times over. O.k Enough said, on with the posting….
Meekness is the wisest form of leadership one of the most necessary of all traits to cultivate. It seems odd to us because what it means is to have power, yet restrain it. To have excellent leadership skills, but to honor other’s ability. Meekness includes power, but also humility and benevolence.
What is Meekness?
Living without regard for ourselves
Meekness is to have a servant spirit and to do our work without regard for receiving honor or money from people in this life. Meekness lays down personal rights. You will only live this way if you have a revelation that Jesus loves you. His love and acceptance of you is your hight of success for all the ages. Knowing that He loves you and delights in you will give Godly motivation to live with a servant’s heart.
Trusting God
It means to believe in His justice and perfect leadership - not only in eternity but today. In your life. In your marriage. In your job. In your ministry. In times of being robbed from and persecuted. Right now. God is involved, and He is leading you. Are you trusting Him to take care of the situation?
The foundation of who God is and what He does
God is meek and he delights in those who operate in meekness based leadership. He is so meek that He will delegate leadership to us. He will give us an inheritance to rule the earth. Meekness is a magnet that attracts the attention and favor of God. His resting place is with those who are poor in spirit, contrite of heart and possess meekness (Isaiah 66).
Without meekness your aspirations as a leader will not get you far. Maybe you’ll be successful over the next 40 or 50 years. Perhaps you’ll do well and get things established and run the show until you retire. But then what?
Did you know:
- You are going to live forever
- The government of Jesus will never end
- The meek will inherit the earth
If you have a vision for leadership (which we all should) then it must trumpet and incorporate meekness.
Cultivating meekness is something anybody, anywhere at anytime can be do. Instead folks are running around jockeying for positions - using this person and that person to climb the ladder so they can get to the top. We fear that if we take the low road we will miss out. What a horrible way to live. Meekness always triumphs over pride.
A one sentence conclusion in the form of a question:
What are you doing to serve and love others without regarding your own honor and gain?
Theresa said:
The timing of this post is really funny. I am currently going through some circumstances where I need to be meek and silent. My soul wants to complain and demonstrate that I am right. I need God’s grace. I think it takes the Holy Spirit to help us to grow through these situations. God, help me to lay it down and keep my mouth shut.
Posted on March 21, 2007 at 9:38 am
Josh said:
This is good stuff Shawn.
I think the most difficult truth for me to grasp regarding meekness is that when accusation comes against me, it’s a true reflection of my condition and I must rightfully agree with that. The only good, the only righteousness displayed in my life is Jesus’ righteousness and His goodness.
This is where abuse and judgment come against me and I agree with the accusation that I am a damnable sinner. But I also agree that Jesus’ righteousness has made me perfect before God and has brought me into His presence with endless mercy for my dark nature and grace for righteousness. In Christ I am not the damnable sinner and someday my physical being and soul will come into alignment with this Truth. Until that day, I eagerly wait and groan for my adoption as a son to be made complete, and for the Truth that God speaks over my life to be fully manifest. I hate my darkness, and rightfully so: but in seeing the truth, it conveys me into humility and love. And also into weakness that becomes Strength.
This is a difficult thing to accept. Very contrary to my proud nature.
Posted on March 21, 2007 at 11:12 am
{Shawn} said:
@ Theresa: Often the Lord allows those types of situations to come our way in order to teach us meekness. How we respond is so important; and it sounds like you’re doing well.
@ Josh: You’re the first person to cuss on my site. Good thing it was in context or spamalation would have beaten down your comment.
But seriously though, I love what you said. We don’t realize how freeing it is to have a revelation of our own darkness and weakness.
Posted on March 21, 2007 at 12:30 pm
Josh said:
Woo hoo, I cussed!!!
Posted on March 21, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Chelsea said:
This was exactly what I needed to hear… Thank you so much for posting this.
Posted on March 21, 2007 at 2:36 pm
Chris (aka BurritoChriS) said:
Brother Shawn,
Damnable is in the KJV so how is it a cuss word?
2 Peter 2:1
1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
KJV
Posted on March 21, 2007 at 2:37 pm
{Shawn} said:
@ Brother Burrito: by cuss word I mean a word used to refer to walls holding up bodies of water.
Posted on March 21, 2007 at 2:42 pm
Jessie Still said:
Yes, timing of this post IS interesting. I’ve been “serving” in many ways in the past several years, serving others, serving others’ vision, trying to learn this lesson of meekness, yet, there was no “power” in my life or ministry to be restrained, so would it really be meekness? I don’t think so… anyhow, that’s another story.
Because of my faithfulness in some things over time, suddenly the opportunity for promotion is everywhere! There are some people trying to elevate me to the next level. On one hand, I feel like this is God and His timing. On the other, I suddenly see a new depth of pride in me, and am convicted at my lack of true love and concern for people whom I should be loving and caring for! and so, I don’t WANT to continue on in some ways on this path, and yet, then I feel like my saying “no” to many things becomes like a false humility. . . is this making sense?
I guess I welcome comments/feedback. This is your blog, not mine…. but, you brought up the subject, and I’m just sharing my thoughts!
Posted on March 21, 2007 at 5:12 pm
{Shawn} said:
@ Jesse: No need to apologize at all for soliciting advice on here. This is a great community and I’m glad you asked the questions.
Promotion from people does not always mean promotion from God. And the same goes for demotion. As humans we are always confronted with new areas of pride and selfish ambition. That isn’t a suprise to God in the least. The best thing you can do is ask the Lord if there is grace for this new season and new position and ask Him to work humility within you.
Having bitterness when your not recognized is just as much a sin as having pride when you are. The Lord isn’t concerned with your position, but with your heart response in the good and bad times.
Also, meekness isn’t just mean you have authority that you’re not exersising. The primary characteristic of meekness is that you are not pursuing self-honor and self-gain. Any ‘ole Joe can excersise that.
Posted on March 21, 2007 at 8:26 pm
Meekness « My thoughts, my life, me. said:
[…] Posted March 22, 2007 Based on where God is taking me(see here), this post, and my pondering today, I am writing about meekness. A lot of people(like this guy and Dwayne […]
Posted on March 22, 2007 at 6:22 pm
VeryAngel » Blog Archive » Meekness « My thoughts, my life, me. said:
[…] on where God is taking me(see here), this post, and my pondering today, I am writing about meekness. A lot of people(like this guy and Dwayne […]
Posted on July 22, 2007 at 4:35 pm