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| MONDAY | February 22 |
Remember the crisis that Abraham faced in deciding with his nephew Lot how to divide up the land?(See Gen. 13:8, 9.) In view of the fact that God had promised to make of his descendants a great nation, what might have been Abraham's justification in taking the best for himself? Instead, Abraham allowed Lot to choose first, saying that he would take what was left over. How was this action a characteristic of meekness?
Most everyone knows the story of Joseph being sold as a slave into Egypt by his brothers. Read again the story of their coming to him, now second in command in all Egypt, and begging to be able to purchase food (Genesis 45). How did Joseph's meekness determine how he treated his brothers? Had he not been meek, what would he probably have done? How is Genesis 50:20 an example of the worldview of those who are meek?
As a young man David had been anointed to be the next king of Israel. King Saul became insanely jealous and for years pursued David and his men with the intent to kill him. On two occasions David had an opportunity to kill Saul (1 Sam. 24:3-7, 26:7-12). If David had not been meek, what might have been his rationalization for killing Saul? Why is it so easy for us to use a spiritual excuse for doing something that is in our own interest?
In Numbers 12:3, Moses is described as the meekest man of his time. Yet, his decisive actions do not seem to fit the popular concept of meekness. His demand to Pharaoh to let Israel go was forceful and followed up with action. When Israel worshiped the golden calf, his "anger burned," and before it was over he had taken the calf which they had made, burned it with fire, ground it to powder, and made the children of Israel drink it (Exod. 32:19, 20). How are we to understand the meekness of Moses?
Jesus, of course, is the greatest model of meekness of all (Matt. 11:29). What are some of the examples of His meekness? How, for instance, was His meekness revealed in John 18:21-23? Or how about Matthew 26:39? At the same time, we find examples of Jesus doing things that don't appear to be meek, such as when He drove the money changers out of the temple or all the times He confronted the Pharisees and others regarding their hypocrisy. How do these examples help us understand that meekness can be manifested in some very bold ways?
What can you find in common among these examples of meekness? What can you learn from them that could help you understand what meekness is and isn't?
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