If I Only Had The Nerve

We all remember “The Wizard of OZ” from our childhood.  When I was young, I used to watch it with my family, sitting on my mom’s lap… boy was I scared!    Even though the cowardly lion is the one who said he needed “nerve,”  I needed more nerve than he did, as I watched that movie.  

There were so many weird things in it to scare a fella!  For example, it had lions, scarecrows and tin men that could talk; it had munchkins, witches and that crazy wizard; but most importantly, it had those flying monkeys…. I HATED those flying monkeys!   I used to dream about those monkeys… to this day, I don’t like those monkeys!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SESI19h4wDo  I could have said, just like the lion, …“If I only had the nerve”.

Anyhow, back to my original point, In “the Wizard of Oz”, because of the lion’s lack of courage, he was pictured as weak and helpless.  It made him look downright pitiful   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98W7zg2ByKY  That helpless, pitiful condition that accompanies cowardice some people associate with not only cowardice but meekness as well.  Being meek, they say,   means they do not have the strength to stand up for themselves, but to allow others to manipulate or “walk all over” them.   The exact opposite is true.  It takes courage to lead meek life.  

To be meek, as used in the Bible, is “the confidence that leads to obedience, through the release of self-pride”.  Being meek is an act of strength and courage, not an act of weakness and cowardice.

 THE SCRIPTURE:

 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  (Gal 5:22-25)

 THE STUDY:

Noah is the perfect example of a meek man.   Noah believed that His God knew what was best for his life.  Therefore, Noah submitted himself to God’s authority by building an ark in spite of his neighbors ridicule. (Gen 6:10-Gen 9:17)   It took a great amount of courage for Noah to build that ark.  It also took a humble spirit as he withstood his neighbor’s jeers.   Noah was a bold, courageous, meek man. 

The Bible mentions others who led meek (humble) lives as they served their God…

Nums 12:3 – Moses

2 Chron 34:1, 27 - Josiah

Matt 11:29, 21:5 – Our Lord Jesus Christ

Remember, Christ was God Himself, yet he was willing to humble Himself so that we might have access to salvation from our sins… Phils 2:5-11 gives us a variety of ways that Christ showed His meekness to us:

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. “

We have so much to thank Him for!  God becoming man, and then dying unjustly on a cross to pay the price for our sins… this is, truly, the ultimate example of meekness for all of us to follow.  

THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

If you are like me, the pursuit of humility is an extremely difficult one.  As a matter of fact, to bear the fruit of meekness is, perhaps, the most difficult of all the fruits.  Our gracious Lord understands this and promises great benefits for living a meek life for His glory:

Psa 10:17  The Lord will hear the prayers of the meek and bless them with Godly desires for their life.

Psa 25:9 The Lord will guide and teach the humble

Psa 34:2  The Lord will bless the humble with joy as they see others serving Him.

Psa 37:11 The Lord will cause the meek to inherit the earth and live a life of inward peace

Psa 149:4  The Lord will give the meek deliverance

Prov 29:23  The Lord gives those who are humble an honorable reputation.

Isa 11:4  The Lord defends the meek

Isa 29:19  The Lord multiplies the joy of the meek

Zeph 2:3 The Lord hides the humble from His anger

Matt 18:4  The Lord gives the meek a high position in the His kingdom

James 4:6 The Lord blesses the humility with grace

Although extremely difficult, living a meek life is one of the most blessed lives that a person can live.  When we are willing to serve the Lord, by faith, putting Him first above all else, we are placing ourselves in a position of great blessings for now and eternity.  This is what leading a meek life is about.  What better way can we thank Him for all the times He humbled Himself for us!

“But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.”  (Luk 17:7-10)

 If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

 May the Lord bless your study of His Word.  Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”