Moses, the meekest man?
Humility?
"Strength under control"?
Those are all great ways to explain meekness! But did you know meekness has a deeper meaning than all of those?
It is the opposite of self-assertiveness and self-interest. It is working UNDER THE CONTROL OF ANOTHER to accomplish more than the two can accomplish alone.
I Peter 3:1-4 says,
1). Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
2 ). While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
3). Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
4). But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
Meekness has the idea of a bridled horse.
Alright! Hold on. I'm going to be using verses about meekness and horses. I'm comparing us to horses in the context of meekness. Don't read too much into it.
I love horses! I've never owned one, but as soon as my husband gets right with God....just kidding. My husband doesn't like them so....guess I'm out of luck. Anyway....
What comes to mind when I say "horse"?
Strength?
Beauty?
Furry friend?
That time you were bit by one?
Destruction?
Terror?
See? It can go both ways!
I think of the beautiful horse galloping across the open field, or pulling the sheep cart along the front of our apartment building (story for another time), or the friendships you can develop with them...
My husband thinks of the time he was bit by one...and the time he was slobbered on...and the horse took off with him...or the movie where the horse destroys the whole barn and kills all the other animals and two of the people (I'm sure it wasn't the horses fault)!!!
Anyway, you get the idea. A well-trained horse is a joy and pleasure. An UN-trained horse is beautiful, too. Till you try to actually USE it!
The word meek has the idea of a well-trained, bridled horse. Before cars, trucks, and tractors people depended on horses and other animals much more than we do now, but I think we can still see the point here.
Wild horses are beautiful, galloping across the prairie. But you have to train it and bridle it for it to be USEFUL! In fact, an unbridled and untrained horse can cause a lot of damage...
The same is true for us. We, as people (women in particular), often have natural beauty or strength. God-given, I might add! We may even have more strength and abilities than those people God has placed over us. "Just let me do that! I'll get it done while you're still staring at the pieces!" Ever have a thought like that? "If you want something done right (or at all), you've got to do it yourself!" How about that one?
Women often have such incredible strength and ability! And it's hard for us to...pardon my language...SUBMIT to the people God has placed over us. I'm not just talking about our husbands! ANY authority: husbands, pastors, Sunday school teachers, parents, bosses, civil authorities.... We "buck" authority!
This can cause a lot of damage! We rush in and try to do things the "right" way and end up making a mess of things. Because we were wrong and we aren't capable of doing stuff? No...because we weren't allowing the right Person/person to control us. (Psalm 33:17; 147:10)
What's my point?
1). An "unbridled horse" can cause GREAT damage and suffering to those around her. Yes! She's strong! But that strength, when not controlled, is dangerous. That's why we all like to look at wild horses...from a distance!
2). A "bridled horse" is USEFUL. A horse willingly submited to her "authority" can be a great asset. In fact, a well-trained horse is necessary to accomplish great things! (James 3:13). Before cars and trucks and tractors, horses were needed for most things. The trained, bridled ones, that is...
3). Willing submission to the "rider" allows both the horse and rider to:
A. Accomplish great things
B. Develop a deep friendship
C. Look beautiful in the process
***I think wives, especially, would love to see these things accomplished in our marriages!
4). A submissive, well-trained horse only needs gentle pressure to redirect her course. Do people have to hit you up side the head to get you to cooperate? Does God have to do big, awesome things to get your attention? The life of a submissive horse is much more comfortable for the horse...for the rider, too! (Psalm 37:11, I Corinthians 4:21)
5). The rider can accomplish much more with the strength of the horse. Are you hindering your authority by refusing to submit?
6). The rider will be able to trust the instincts and intuitions of the submissive horse. God gave horses instincts that people don't have. Horses can "sense" things people can't. A wise rider will listen to his horse, if he can trust her. If she "flips out" at the smallest thing or tries to go her own way all the time, the rider will not be able to recognize when she has a point! (II Timothy 2:25)
7). A submissive horse trusts her rider. God has put your authority in your life for a reason. When it comes to our husbands, God has given men insights and instincts he doesn't give to women. Authority, in general, usually has a broader view of the big picture than we do. We can get into a lot of trouble when we refuse to trust the authority God has placed over us! (Isaiah 63:13)
8). A submissive horse is of "great price" in the sight of her rider....and God! (Zechariah 10:3, I Peter 3:4)
Who's controlling you? Do you run amuck and do your own thing, leaving a trail of carnage behind you? Does the authority God has placed in your life control you? Does the world control you (I Timothy 6:11)? Does the Holy Spirit of God control you? Think hard about this!
What you accomplish in life and how hard your life is depends a great deal on who you allow to control your life.
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