Meekness

Meekness

President Lincoln and the Dying Boy
During the hard days of the Civil War, President Lincoln made frequent visits to the hospitals that were always overcrowded with the suffering.
On one occasion he stopped to speak to one of the patients, a mere boy of 16, who had been mortally wounded and was nearing death.
President Lincoln, taking the thin, white hand, said, "My poor boy, what can I do for you?"
With a beseeching look the fellow turned his eyes to the homely, kindly face and asked, "Will you write to my mother for me?"
"That I will," answered the President, and calling for a pen, ink and paper, he seated himself and wrote a long letter. When it was finished, the President rose, saying, "I will mail this as soon as I get back to my office. Now is there anything else I can do for you?"
In some way the boy had come to know it was the President, and so, looking at him in the most appealing sort of way, he asked, "Will you stay with me till it is all over? I will not be long, and I want to hold onto your hand."
That was too much for the great-hearted President to resist. The tears came to his eyes, and he sat down by him and took hold of his hand. The fellow did not move or speak a word. This was some time before four o'clock, and it was long after six before the end came. A Superior's Superior Attitude
Bruce Barton told of an incident in the life of Abraham Lincoln which illustrates a winning spirit. Lincoln, in search of firsthand information on the progress of the Civil War, sought out his general, George B. McClellan. McClellan was not at home when the President and a cabinet member arrived, so Lincoln waited an hour. At last the general returned, but instead of greeting Lincoln, he went upstairs and retired for the evening, sending a servant to explain that he was too tired to see the President.
Lincoln's companion exploded in rage, but the President laid his hand gently on the man's shoulder: "There, there, do not take it so hard. I will hold McClellan's horse if he will only bring us victories."
In his words we hear echoes of Paul's comment: "...I will not be enslaved to anything" (1 Corinthians 6:12).

Learn from the Goats
Two goats met one another upon a narrow plank set up across a river, so that they could not pass by without one thrusting the other off. If they were human beings they would argue who had the right to survive. But the goats figured it all out, how one could help the other and, at the same time, help itself. One lay down, and let the other leap over it.

Soft Answers to Rough Questions
A missionary in Jamaica was once questioning some little boys on the meaning of Matthew 5:5 and asked, "Who are the meek?" A boy answered, "Those who give soft answers to rough questions." We shall do well to remember this child's definition. The one who has wisdom in his head and heart does not need to shout at others. Wisdom speaks softly and persuasively, instead of impelling and forcing. Through the use of our tongues people will know whether we are wise or not. As that great theologian, Charles Hodge, said, "The doctrines of grace humble a man without degrading him and exalt him without inflating him." The Meek Shall Inherit the Earth
Men cannot understand how meekness is going to inherit the earth. Men believe in physical strength. They believe in arms and armies. They believe in craft and cunning. They believe in energy, will, and perseverance. They believe in things. They believe in matter. They believe in influencing their fellowmen, working upon them by threats, by pain, by fear. There are few men who believe that a humble man is being used in the strongest possible manner. They cannot credit that his humility shows that he is governed by his highest nature. They cannot conceive that an attitude of meekness is in perfect accord with the divine nature, which is dwelling in that meek one as a result of his new birth in Christ. In saying that the meek shall inherit the earth, our Lord declares this is the potential accomplishment of the man who is indwelt by Christ, by the Spirit of God within man. The Fruit of Meekness
A Brahmin compared the Christian missionary to the mango tree. All its branches hang with fruit. It is then assailed with stones and clubs by passersby. How does it respond-by dropping fruit at every blow at the feet of those who assail it. At the close of the season, it stands scarred and battered, its leaves torn off, its branches broken. But the next year it bears more fruit than the previous year. That is what our meekness should do in the world-not try to conserve its self-esteem but bear fruit, fruit that descends low at the attack of cruel words and actions. Christian meekness cannot be exercised in isolation. It must be manifested within the framework of society, a society that hates the Lord Jesus Christ, openly or subtly, and all who stand for Him. A Sense of God's Goodness
One night during an evangelistic meeting, a paralytic was wheeled down the aisle and placed near the platform. In the preliminary part of the service, the song leader caught sight of him and asked, "What is your favorite hymn?" He immediately answered, "Count Your Blessings!" There was no wail of complaint from the handicapped man, just a vivid sense of the goodness of God. Our submissiveness to God spells satisfaction for our lot on earth. This is the lesson of this Beatitude, "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." This paralytic is surely heir to a greater part of earth than many a millionaire. Meekness, in this sense, is a power-the power to feel satisfaction with what God gives, the power not to merely endure it but to enjoy it to the fullest and to use it for His purpose. A Room Nobody Wants
When Sammy Morris, a Kru boy from Africa, came to America to be trained for Christian service, he presented himself for matriculation at Taylor University. He revealed a spirit all too rare among Christians. When the President of the University asked him what room he wanted, Sammy replied, "If there is a room nobody wants, give that to me." Of this incident the President later wrote: "I turned away, for my eyes were full of tears. I was asking myself whether I was willing to take what nobody else wanted. In my experience as a teacher, I have had occasion to assign rooms to more than a thousand students. Most of them were noble, Christian young ladies and gentlemen; but Sammy Morris was the only one of them who ever said, 'If there is a room that nobody wants, give that to me.' "

Meekness of Wisdom
A preacher once received a letter with a pathetic story of a muddled and disordered life which ended: "It just beats me. A doctor of philosophy and unable to solve my own troubles!" It takes more than a friend of wisdom to help us in our troubles; it takes Wisdom personified, the Lord Jesus Himself. When everything goes wrong and troubles abound and the Christian can still go about his duties in life without revolting against God, against Wisdom, then he is possessed with this wonderful meekness of wisdom. Meekness of wisdom is accepting Wisdom's dealings with us without a murmur and without a sigh. It is that temper of spirit which at all times says, "Yes, Lord, Thou knowest best."