Wisdom Booklet 5 Major Concept
Meekness requires dying to self.
Matthew 5:5
“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”
Character Focus
Meekness
Yielding my personal rights and expectations to God
Theme Song
“Is Your All on the Altar?”
Student’s Name
Institute in Basic Life Principles Box One • Oak Brook, IL 60522-3001 630-323-2842 • www.iblp.org TUTE IN BA STI
LIFE
INCIPLES PR
SIC
Printed in the United States of America Third Edition, First Printing 210037 04/21
Copyright ©2002, 2021 Institute in Basic Life Principles All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise—without prior written permission of the publisher. Many thanks to the contributing authors of this curriculum. All Scripture verses are quoted from the King James Version of the Bible, unless noted otherwise.
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Wisdom Quiz An answer key for this quiz and other projects in this booklet can be downloaded at iblp.org/wisdom-booklet-resources.
How well do you understand the concept of meekness? T F
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Meekness is best defined as “our energies under God’s control.” (Read Psalm 25:9.)
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Meekness is yielding our personal rights and expectations to God. From that point we can pray with the psalmist, “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him” (Psalm 62:5). What destructive emotions will result when we demand our rights and expectations? T F
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F
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(Read I Timothy 2:1–4.)
It takes a strong person to be a meek person.
God will guide meek Christians to have a powerful influence in the laws and lives of their city and country. The Godly life of a meek person will become a living testimony of right laws, and the Godly praying and witnessing of a meek person will influence those who make the laws. Why did God tell His people, “And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives . . .”?
(Read Matthew 11:28–30.)
(Read Jeremiah 29:7.)
The word meekness sounds similar to weakness, but its meaning is vastly different. The Lord Jesus Christ was certainly not a Man of weakness, but He has invited us to learn what meekness is all about by knowing Him. How did Jesus demonstrate meekness in casting out demons, rebuking the Pharisees, and cleansing the Temple? T
A meek person should be involved in political concerns so he can exert a Godly influence.
A Christian who yields his responsibilities to God will be a meek person. (Read II Corinthians 5:9–10.)
Responsibilities are given to us by God for the benefit of others and must be carried out by the power of His grace. Rights are special privileges that we claim for our own benefit. Which of the following is a right, and which is a responsibility? • Teaching a child to be respectful • Being respected by the child
Meekness requires dying to self.
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There are some instances when being angry is necessary to produce beneficial results. (Read James 1:20–21.)
Anger is like a headache; it signals that something else is wrong. For this reason, we are told, “Be ye angry, and sin not” (Ephesians 4:26). Both the original words and the context teach that if we are angry, we should not let it become sin. Anger should never last until the sun goes down. Instead, “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger . . . be put away from you, with all malice” (Ephesians 4:31). Meekness in yielding our rights to God is the opposite of anger, since anger is caused when our expectations are not met. Why would a person who lacks meekness be unqualified to enter into marriage? (Read Proverbs 22:24.)
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Wisdom Worksheet “Blessed are the meek . . . .” Meek: Greek: prauv" (prah-OOS) Insight: Demonstrating an attitude of humility and gentleness out of confident obedience to God and His ways.
Matthew 5:5
LINGUISTICS
HISTORY
How do sheep illustrate the basic attitudes of a meek person? • Sheep are attentive to the voice of their shepherd. • Sheep trust their shepherd. • Sheep are submissive. They do not demand their own way. In a character description Jesus gave of Himself, He said, “I am meek and lowly in heart.” He invites all to learn this quality from Him. (See Matthew
Who demonstrated meekness by exchanging seen treasures for unseen treasures? God affirmed the meekness of Moses: “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). Through adoption, Moses inherited rights in the royal family of Pharaoh. However, when faced with a choice between future reward and present rights, he chose “. . . rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward” (Hebrews 11:25–26).
Languages, Grammar, Vocabulary, Communication
11:28–30.)
“ . . . for they shall inherit the earth.” Inherit: Greek: klhronomevw (klay-rawn-awMEH-oh) Insight: To enter into the full possession of the resources that have been laid up in store for Christians. Meekness is a mark of maturity—the ability to wait for God’s rewards for achievement and for God’s punishment of evildoers. (See Psalm 37.) Do Meditation, Character Quality, and Theme Song Worksheets.
Earth: Greek: gh` (gay) Insight: This word refers to this present world and to the new earth to come. (See Revelation 21:1.) When we yield our rights to God, we are able to enjoy the fullness of what He has created for us. (See Matthew 10:39.) Do Insights Through Investigation, Resource A, pages 10–13.
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Do Power Through Precision, Resource B, pages 14–22.
Rewards of the Meek •T hey receive the Gospel. “. . . Preach good tidings unto the meek . . .” (Isaiah 61:1). • They are guided by God. “The meek will he guide in judgment . . . ” (Psalm 25:9). • They experience rest. “Learn of me; for I am meek . . . and ye shall find rest . . .” (Matthew 11:29). • They are fruitful. “But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . meekness . . . ” (Galatians 5:22–23). • They are of great value. “ . . . A meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price” (I Peter 3:4).
Archaeology, Geography, Prophecy, Music, Art, Literature
Do History, Resource C, pages 23–28.
How did Christ demonstrate meekness by throwing out the money changers? The essence of meekness is yielding our rights and our wills to the will of our heavenly Father. When Jesus cleansed the Temple, He was fulfilling Old Testament prophecy. (See John 2:17.) “. . . I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30).
“Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
SCIENCE
LAW
HEALTH
How does a grain of wheat reveal the quality of meekness? Jesus explained that only as a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies can it bring forth much fruit.
How does law confirm the need for meekness?
How is our health affected by not yielding our personal rights? Failure to yield personal rights will usually produce anger. Anger, in turn, unleashes in the body a series of destructive sequences that greatly damage health and happiness. Anger will tighten the jaw muscles, causing grinding of the teeth. The added pressure produces pain and may throw off the alignment of the bite. Some angry people have undergone expensive treatments to correct their bite, when yielding rights would have accomplished better results without the cost or pain.
Chemistry, Biology, Astronomy, Geology, Physics, Mathematics
(See John 12:24.)
Meekness is willing acceptance of the purposes for which God made me. Do Science, Resource D, pages 29–32.
How is a trained horse an illustration of meekness?
Government, Economics, Logic
Traffic Laws When two drivers approach an intersection at the same time, one must yield the rightof-way to the other to avoid serious consequences. Marriage Covenant When two individuals enter into the lifelong union of marriage, each one must yield personal rights to avoid conflict. Meekness is demonstrated by one’s commitment to remain in a marriage even when it becomes “difficult.”
Nutrition, Behavior, Counseling, Medicine
Do Health, Resource G, pages 43–46.
Gastric Ulcers A wild horse is of little value to man; however, when its will is brought under control of its rider, the horse becomes tremendously useful. The open land required to house a horse well is a picture of the promise that those who are meek will inherit the earth. Meekness is power under God’s control. Power under control is the basis for productivity in industry.
Do Authority Through Accuracy, Resource E, pages 33–37.
Meekness requires dying to self.
Civil Suits When two Christians have a dispute, they have a legal right to go to a civil court in order to resolve it. However, God instructs each one to yield his right, even if it means he will be “defrauded.” (See I Corinthians 6:1–8.)
Duodenal ulcer
Duodenum
Stomach
Ulcers erode the stomach’s inner lining.
Most doctors agree that ulcers are not caused by what a person eats, but rather by “what eats the person.” Anger can upset the digestive system, allowing hydrochloric acid and pepsin to eat through the lining of the stomach and the duodenum. Do Law, Resource F, pages 38–42.
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Scripture Meditation Worksheet
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Copy the passage.
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Ask questions about the passage.
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Do word studies.
“Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
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Look up cross-references.
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Write a paraphrase of the passage.
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Determine how to apply the passage in your life. Today
This week
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Draw concept pictures.
Meekness requires dying to self.
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Character Quality Meekness
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Find the definition.
Identify the quality in Scripture.
Dictionary definition:
Scripture references:
IBLP operational definition (see front cover):
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Expand with synonyms, antonyms, or related words.
Bible men and women who demonstrated this character quality:
Bible men and women who did not demonstrate this character quality:
Synonyms: Christ demonstrated this quality when: Antonyms:
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Related qualities that bring balance:
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How does this quality relate to the Scripture passage and/or major concept?
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Three ways my family and I can demonstrate this quality this month: r r r
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My operational definition:
“Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
Theme Song “Is Your All on the Altar?”
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How does this hymn text relate to the Scripture passage?
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Other Scripture passages alluded to in the text of this hymn are:
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How does this hymn relate to the major concept?
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What is the history of the hymn and/or hymn writer?
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How does the message of this hymn apply to my life?
How does this hymn relate to meekness?
Meekness requires dying to self.
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Insights Through Investigation How Can Special Tools Uncover the Meanings of New Testament Words? Each word of Scripture is a costly treasure to be mined by those who know its value. (See Psalm 12:6.) As we search for the riches of God’s wisdom, many excellent reference tools will help us dig into the meanings of the Greek words used in the New Testament. A search of the Strong’s Concordance will reveal that the English word meek, used in Matthew 5:5, is a translation of the Greek word prauv" (prah-OOS), which is listed as a form of #4239. The Greek dictionary at the back of the concordance gives the meanings “meek, humble.” The Hebrew Greek Key Study Bible, produced by Spiros Zodhiates, contains expanded explanations of Greek and Hebrew word meanings. The Strong’s number will direct us to the right word in the “Lexical Aids to the New Testament,” which appears at the back of the Bible. The entry for praus (4239) reads: 4239. Praus; meek (Matt. 5:5; 21:5; 1 Pet. 3:4), or práos (4235), meek, lowly (Matt. 11:29). See praútēs (4240), meekness.
Though the entry itself does not expand the definition, it tells of prautes (4240), the
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noun most closely related to this adjective, uncovering a very helpful discussion of the word. Prautes; meekness, expressed not in a man’s outward behavior only nor in his relations to his fellow man or his mere natural disposition, but expressed rather as an inwrought grace of the soul, first and chiefly directed toward God (James 1:21). That attitude of spirit in which we accept God’s dealings with us as good and do not dispute or resist . . . .
Another readily available word study reference tool is Vine’s Expository Dictionary of the New Testament, sometimes published in combination with other books. To Meekness may be pictured as a study the powerful horse that is bridled word praus, under the control of its master. simply look up the English word meek, and you will find useful insights on its meaning. PRAÜS or PRAOS (prauv") denotes gentle, mild, meek; for its significance see the corresponding noun, below, B. Christ uses it of His own disposition, Matt. 11:29; He gives it in the third of His Beatitudes, 5:5; it is said of Him as the King Messiah, 21:5, from Zech. 9:9; it is an adornment of the Christian profession, 1Pet. 3:4. ¶ Cp. ēpios, gentle, of a soothing disposition, 1 Thess. 2:7; 2 Tim. 2:24. ¶
“Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
The corresponding noun, prautes, explains that meekness is the result of power. Rather than being unable to help oneself, a meek person has the infinite resources of God at his command, as Moses’s life demonstrated.
How does the Greek word for “meek” clarify the quality Christians should develop? Some Greek words may be translated into an English word that has almost exactly the same meaning. For example, the English word stone has the same meaning as its Greek counterpart livqo~ (LIH-thahs). However, many Greek words do not have an exact English equivalent. Though the English word may be the best counterpart available, it may have additional meanings that would not be appropriate for the Greek word. Or, it may have an English connotation that varies widely from the Greek term. The word meek in Matthew 5:5 is an example of a word with a vitally different meaning.
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Understand the true meaning of meekness.
The English word meek means “gentle, mild, or pleasant.” It implies that a meek person is weak or has no control over his circumstances or attitude. He is considered somewhat passive or withdrawn. The Greek word translated meek in Matthew 5:5 is prau" (prah-OOS). It has a connotation very different from the English word. Though prau" may be translated meek, it does not imply weakness. On the contrary, it describes a person of forceful character, a strong person who has control of his strength. Moses is the chief example of meekness in the Old Testament. (See Numbers 12:3.) Yet, the Bible pictures him as a man of great ability and strength. The strong character of Moses cannot be debated. Anyone who could lead over two million people from Egypt to the Promised Land certainly must have possessed a great deal of stamina and energy. Moses was anything but a passive man.
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Moses led millions to freedom despite natural obstacles and opposing armies. His meekness allowed God’s power to work through him to perform the impossible.
Recognize the characteristics
Does the Greek word for “meek” more accurately describe a shepherd or the sheep?
Meekness requires dying to self.
of meekness.
prauv" becomes particularly evident during times of opposition. This fact is seen clearly in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. He repeatedly faced opposition, yet He always demonstrated meekness. Christ invites Christians: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart . . .” (Matthew 11:29). He desires Christians to possess the quality of meekness, especially during times of trial and oppression.
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Shimei threw
rocks as King David escaped assassination by his son Absalom.
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A prauv" person is empty of all vengeance. One who is meek has yielded his “rights” and “reactions” to God. Instead of becoming bitter or upset, a meek person responds in a way that brings glory to his God and demonstrates control. King David provides a beautiful picture of a meek person giving all vengeance to God. The following story from his life illustrates this truth. David’s son Absalom had just driven him from the throne. As David left Jerusalem, he went to a place called Bahurim. Bahurim means “low ground,” an appropriate name because this king was at a low point in his life. A man named Shimei met David there. Shimei cursed him and threw stones at him. Abishai, one of David’s friends, wanted to kill Shimei, but the deposed king would not allow it. He said, “Let him alone . . . . It may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction, and that the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day” (II Samuel 16:11–12). David demonstrated meekness in his response to Shimei. He could have had him killed. David had the authority to retaliate— he was the king. He also had the ability to retaliate— he had a small army with him. Yet David willingly chose to be submissive in spite of
persecution and abuse. David left himself in the care of his heavenly Father. He chose to be meek.
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Identify the Source of meekness.
Shimei would have been no match for the mighty men who accompanied David; however, the king’s meekness caused him to deny the request to slay his persecutor.
Meekness is not a humanly developed quality. It is not natural to be meek. Instead, it is natural to react, become defensive, or even seek to harm others who treat people unkindly. Simeon and Levi demonstrated a human reaction toward the wicked deed of Shechem. Shechem had raped Dinah, their sister. Because of this cruelty, Simeon and Levi desired to “get even.” They devised a plan whereby they could rid themselves of Shechem and “pay him back” for mistreating their sister. Shechem wanted to marry Dinah and was willing to do anything to marry her. Simeon and Levi told Shechem and his father Hamor that all the men of their house must be circumcised in order for Dinah to become the wife of Shechem. Hamor agreed to this request and followed their requirements. After the third day, Simeon and Levi went to the house of Shechem and killed all the men while they were sore from their circumcisions. (See Genesis 34.) The Book of James tells God’s people of the impossibility of humanly controlling the “Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
tongue. James stressed the extreme wicked ness the tongue can produce, although it is a small member of the human body. Repeatedly, the Word of God demonstrates the impossibility of becoming meek by human strength. Perhaps God shows this frequently to stress that the Source of meekness is God Himself. Paul’s epistle to the Galatians provides direct support for this truth. He writes, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace . . . meekness . . .” (Galatians 5:22–23). In other words, the quality of meekness is something that comes only when a Christian is Spirit-controlled. No amount of human strength, determination, or effort will produce a meek person. Only the Spirit of God can do such a work.
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Practice the secret to meekness.
Since meekness is a quality that God produces in the life of a believer, the secret to his meekness lies in his relationship with God. Most Christians attempt to be “Christlike” through their own endeavors. When circumstances arise in their lives that produce evil attitudes or reactions, they attempt to respond properly by mere human strength. When this does not work, they become discouraged, defeated, or angry. God never intended for Christians to reform or change attitudes and actions by their own strength. In fact, Scripture acknowledges the impossibility of achieving such a goal. (See Romans 7:15–21.) Instead, God desires that His children look to Him for strength, guidance, and power to live in a way that would please Him. Meekness requires dying to self.
Since meekness is controlled strength, it is extremely important that a believer recognizes that God must be the One Who “controls” him and his responses. The secret to becoming a meek person lies in a believer yielding his rights to God, allowing God to control his responses and produce self-control and Godliness in his life. One writer describes this process in the following way: “The meek person leaves everything in the hand of Him Who loves and cares.”
As we submit to God and learn meekness, He gives us grace to control our tongues.
Project: Psalm 37 is a key Psalm in the development of the quality of meekness. Read and examine it in order to see how God develops meekness in His children. 1. Discuss the frequent contrast between the evildoers and the righteous ones. 2. List three key ways in which the psalmist encourages believers to give their pressures and problems to the Lord. 3. Memorize verses three through seven. 4. Discuss what the psalmist means by “peace” in verse eleven. Describe one example in which the Lord gave you peace because you yielded a problem to Him. 5. Examine how the Lord describes what will happen to the wicked man in the end (verses twelve through twenty). 6. Evaluate how the Lord blesses the righteous man (verses twenty-one through forty). Date Completed:____________ Evaluation:__________
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Power Through Precision Discover the Wisdom of Meekness Wisdom vs. “Wisdom” Notice the two types of wisdom contrasted in the following passage: “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. “This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and
GOD
Se e
Discernment Soul
Antonyms: The opposite of meekness is described in the following words. Number these words in alphabetical order, and learn their exact definitions. h Angry h Assertive h Irate h Exasperated h Irritable h Willful h Explosive h Demanding h Insistent h Contentious
Spirit
Mind Will Emotions
Then we will understand how to respond to others with a meek, Godly spirit. Gentle Deferential Forbearing Submissive Selfless Flexible Patient Respectful Gracious Imperturbable Amenable Temperate
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The following words describe the inward character of one who has a meek spirit. Number these words in alphabetical order, and learn their precise meanings. h Gentle h Submissive h Patient h Imperturbable h Deferential h Forbearing h Selfless h Flexible h Respectful h Gracious h Amenable h Temperate
easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. “And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace” (James 3:13–18).
d’s t Go poin w Vie
ing
We must first see God and begin to discern His viewpoint.
Synonyms:
How is meekness an expression of wisdom? We can maintain an attitude of meekness only when we see another person from God’s perspective. We can show the meekness of wisdom by: • Understanding the true feelings of people and the reason they react. “Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
• Realizing the value of each individual. • Understanding cause-and-effect sequences. • Learning how to avoid unnecessary conflicts. • Learning what constitutes maturity. • Understanding the value of struggles in bringing a person to maturity.
How does bondage result from serving with unwise perspectives? If our objective is simply to serve another person, we will tend to expect from him the rewards that only God can give.
A wife’s unwise expectations:
Her unwise reactions when expectations are unmet:
• • • • •
• • • • • •
Approval Security Acceptance Praise Gratefulness
Disillusionment Resentment Avoidance Withdrawal Comparison Frustration
When we fail to receive what we believe we have justly earned, our joy in serving will turn to drudgery and resentment. If we serve others with the motive of changing their lives to conform to what we think is right for them, we will cause them to feel that they are under pressure, and they will usually react to us and reject our service. We may have clear ideas about how those whom we serve could grow spiritually and become more effective for the Lord; however, our goals for those individuals cannot be the reason we serve them. Our focus in serving others must simply be to affirm them as individuals and to free them to discover God’s purposes for their spiritual growth. The more people admire those who serve them, the more they will tend to pattern their lives after them, since the highest form of admiration is imitation. This truth Meekness requires dying to self.
explains the directive of Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
What is the ultimate goal of meekness? The goal and reward of meekness is allowing God to achieve His highest purposes through our lives. In order for Him to do this, we must yield to Him our rights and develop a servant’s spirit. As we are growing in the Lord and in the knowledge of His Word, we will experience the power of His working in and through our lives. This process is exciting, giving us joy and boldness, and we often want to tell others about it. However, others will often react negatively to victorious and joyful Christians or view them with skepticism. Our joy and victory may remind observers of their sadness and defeat, which may prompt them to be defensive because of pride. It is also possible that the critics have seen others who displayed equal enthusiasm but quickly lost it. In fact, they might remember other Christians who tried to instruct them but soon fell away into gross sin themselves. These difficulties make it vital that we serve with a spirit of meekness. Consistent service will earn us the right to be heard, provided we live by Scriptural principles, learn to listen, absorb unprovoked attacks, and exercise great patience. This is the challenge of II Timothy 2:24– 25: “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves . . . .”
A meek person will lay down his own rights to invest in the lives of others.
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How can we learn the secrets of meekness from the life of Christ?
How did Jesus demonstrate meekness when He drove the merchants from the Temple?
The Lord Jesus Christ gave us one character description of Himself: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30). The more we learn about Christ, the more we learn about meekness and lowliness—after we take on His yoke.
What does it really mean to be meek? Meekness is not weakness. It requires great strength of character and steadfastness of purpose. Meekness is yielding all my personal rights and possessions to God, so that He is free to accomplish His will in me and through me. Christ received from His heavenly Father every word, thought, action, attitude, and motive that He had. Christ clearly affirmed this point in John 5:30: “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because
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I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” Based on this testimony, we can see that Christ carried out every action as an expression of meekness—from leaving the glory of heaven to be born in poverty, to driving out the greedy money changers; from washing the feet of His disciples, to rebuking the Pharisees; from healing the blind man, to dying on the cross.
How does a yoke relate to meekness? When two oxen are yoked together, they learn how to work together as a team. The lead member provides direction and sets the pace; the second member must yield its right to do as it pleases. The team member feels every impulse and movement of the leader, and because they are yoked together, the second member must respond quickly. As they continue to work together, each partner in the team begins to know and anticipate the responses of the other. They learn to pull together and, thus, greatly multiply their productivity.
By taking Christ’s yoke upon us, we yield our rights to do what we please, and we learn the wishes and commands of Christ our Leader. “Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
What is the unhappy alternative to rejecting Christ’s yoke?
Timothy Havlik
Christ never intended us to bear a yoke other than His own.
Christ’s assurance that His yoke is easy and His burden is light is a clear reference to the pressure and pain that come from an unequal yoke. If two animals of different kinds (such as an ox and a donkey) are yoked together, the yoke becomes uneven, and the differences in strength, size, and temperament will cause the yoke to rub. This practice results in cruelty to animals, and it was strictly forbidden in Old Testament Law. “Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together” (Deuteronomy 22:10). The Apostle Paul used the same principle in the New Testament when he warned Christians not to be “unequally yoked together with unbelievers . . . ” (II Corinthians 6:14). We put on the form of Christ at salvation (Colossians 3:10) and enter His rest. No longer in our old man but in Christ’s image, we are able to take on His yoke and learn of Him.
What “mind-set” must we have to experience meekness? In order to comprehend and develop the quality of meekness, we must establish in our minds a certain frame of reference. This mental viewpoint is explained and illustrated by the birth, youth, ministry, and crucifixion of Christ. Let us see how many insights we can discover from His mind-set. Meekness requires dying to self.
“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” (Philippians 2:5–9). From this key passage explaining the basis of Christ’s meekness, we can identify the following points.
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He yielded His right to glorious wealth and fellowship.
The splendor and riches of heaven cannot even be imagined by our finite minds. “As it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (I Corinthians 2:9). In order for Christ to redeem us from sin, He had to leave all the glory and beauty and majesty of heaven. The vast wealth of heaven is only hinted at in Revelation: “And he . . . shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious . . . . “And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. . . . And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. . . .
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“And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month . . .” (Revelation 21:10–11, 18–19, 23; 22:1–2).
The Reward of Yielding the Right to Wealth and Fellowship Just as Christ returned to heaven with greater wealth than He had had before (fellowship with all those whom He had redeemed), so we will receive far greater treasures in this life and in the life to come as we yield the rights to our riches and possessions.
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He yielded His right to a good reputation.
“For it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Galatians 3:13).
In heaven, Christ is continually worshiped and His name highly honored. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, but when He came into the world, He “made Himself of no reputation.” Rather than being born into wealth, He was born into poverty. His hometown had such a bad reputation that when Philip first told Nathanael about Christ, Nathanael
retorted, “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?” The manner in which Christ was conceived also cast suspicion on His reputation. The religious leaders rejected the fact that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Mary. In their minds, therefore, He was an illegitimate child. By yielding His rights and quickly obeying every directive of His heavenly Father, He further damaged His popularity among the religious leaders. They were shocked that He would allow a woman with a bad reputation to wash His feet. (See Luke 7:36–50.) They were offended when He healed a man on the Sabbath day. (See Mark 3:1–6.) However, the ultimate damage to His reputation occurred when He was arrested, falsely accused of many crimes, and nailed to a cross.
The Reward of Yielding the Right to a Good Reputation Because Christ sacrificed His reputation for us through obedience to the leading of His heavenly Father, we are redeemed, and Christ received a name that is above every name. “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us . . .” (Galatians 3:13). “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name” (Philippians 2:9).
How do we yield our reputations to God?
Doré Bible Illustrations
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One of the strongest desires we have is to be accepted by others. We are deeply aware of what others think about us, who likes us, and who dislikes us. God wants us to come to the mature decision of giving Him all the rights to our reputations. Thereafter, we will not be concerned about what people think about us but rather about whether we accurately represent Christ to those around us and about what they think of Him. “Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
When we become concerned about the reputation of Christ and dedicate ourselves to it as we would our own, we have entered into an exciting new level of spiritual maturity and purpose for our lives.
The Reward of Yielding the Right to Control Our Own Lives
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By demonstrating the quality of meekness in yielding our “right” to control our lives, we humble ourselves and fulfill a prerequisite necessary to receiving blessing. Jesus confirmed this fact: “Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life” (Mark 10:29–30).
He yielded His right to control His own life.
Christ is the Creator of every living person. As such, He has the right to have others serve Him. He has the supernatural power to impose His will on whomever He chooses. However, He has chosen to yield His rights to His disciples and serve them. One of the most demeaning tasks of Christ’s day was to wash the feet of the guests. This service was, therefore, often neglected. Christ used this need to demonstrate an important aspect of meekness. “Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God . . . . began to wash the disciples’ feet . . .” (John 13:3, 5). After Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, He explained the significance of what He had just done, revealing a vital insight into the quality of meekness and its rewards. “He said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you” (John 13:12–15). In the next statement, Christ explained that just as it was His nature to yield His rights to His Father voluntarily, He wanted His disciples to demonstrate that same attitude: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (John 13:16–17). Meekness requires dying to self.
God has established the principle that humility must come before honor. (See Proverbs 15:33.)
Jesus demonstrated the heart of a servant.
How are we to leave possessions, parents, and family? The Greek word for left used in the above passage is ajfivhmi (ah-FEE-aim-ee). It has various applications, each one revealing insights into how we are to yield our rights. ajfivhmi comes from i{hmi (HIH-aim-ee) which means “to send.” Thus, its primary meaning is “to send forth” or “to release.” Various other usages of the word, depending on the context, include “to forgive, to omit, to lay aside, to let alone, to yield up, to forsake, to put away, to let go, to let alone, and to suffer.”
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Each person has certain desires or goals in his life. Most young people desire to marry, live near their parents, possess a nice home, have nice things, and so on. These desires are normal and healthy. At times, however, God leads His children to “forsake” or yield their desires. This may mean that an unmarried man might lay aside the idea of marriage for a period of time, or even for the rest of his life, in order to concentrate on the ministry of the Gospel. (See Matthew 19:12 and I Corinthians 7:27–35.)
or fulfill their personal goals, God brings rich dividends in His service. He brings joy, peace, and satisfaction in ways that His children would never imagine. No personal sacrifice could be too great; no price could be too high. Christ’s willingness to give His life in death sets the supreme example. His resurrection from the grave manifests the supreme reward.
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He yielded the right to physical comforts.
The personal disciplines exercised by our Lord in meeting a heavy daily schedule demonstrate that one who would have a meek spirit must be willing to endure physical strain and discomfort. Although Christ did occasionally avail Himself of the pleasures of gracious hospitality offered to Him along the way, He habitually denied Himself many of life’s basic comforts. Mark recorded the strenuous schedule of a typical day in Jesus’ public ministry. During the day the Lord healed. Then “. . . at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. And all the city was gathered together at the door. . . . And in the morning, rising up a great while
God may allow a wife to remain barren so that she might better strengthen the arm of her husband. God may even call a couple to sell their possessions or abandon a prosperous vocation for the purpose of serving Him on the mission field. The Lord desires that we fulfill our earthly responsibilities in meeting the needs of our parents, mate, children, and so on. (See I Timothy 5:8.) Therefore, the idea of “abandon” here does not mean neglecting or ignoring those Godgiven responsibilities. The way in which we leave possessions, parents, and family involves “leaving behind” those personal expectations or desires. When Christians yield their “rights” to keep For three years, Christ had no home except the rough landscape of Israel.
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“Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed” (Mark 1:32–33, 35). Christ often traveled the dusty trails of the rugged wilderness, preached in the open air, slept on the ground, and sailed the choppy, unpredictable waters of the Sea of Galilee. The fact that Jesus could sleep in a fishing boat even during a violent storm indicates His level of weariness.
The Reward of Yielding the Right to Physical Comfort By giving our rights for physical comfort and ease to the Lord, we are able to learn the disciplines that will make us good soldiers of the Lord Jesus Christ. “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (II Timothy 2:3). As we learn outward physical disciplines, we are able to transfer them to inward spiritual disciplines according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Paul emphasized the importance of these and kept his body under the strictest discipline. His concern: “lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (I Corinthians 9:27). When we yield the members of our bodies to God for His control, they become weapons of righteousness for the Holy Spirit. (See Romans 6:13.)
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He yielded His right to make His own decisions.
Christ and His disciples on the Sea of Galilee
He went without a home and even without a means of transportation to fulfill the will of His heavenly Father and to ensure the greatest fruitfulness for His ministry. When a follower told Christ that he wanted to become His disciple, Jesus discerned that his real motive was to gain early security, so He cut to the heart of the issue, saying, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20). Meekness requires dying to self.
Perhaps the most difficult right to yield is that of making final decisions. Yet this right, if not fully yielded, will destroy the spirit of meekness. When Christ was twelve years old, He understood His calling and expressed His desire to be about His heavenly Father’s business. However, He yielded to God’s direction through His parents and waited until He was thirty years old to begin His public ministry. During His ministry years, He made no decisions on His own but did only what was directed by His heavenly Father. His attitude continually was “Not my will, but Thine be done.” When Christ was arrested and placed under civil authorities, God carried out His ultimate will through their decisions.
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Learn meekness from Christ by taking His yoke upon you and by yielding your . . . • Right to wealth. • Reputation. • Right to control your own life. • Right to physical comforts. • Right to make final decisions apart from God and authorities.
Project:
Doré Bible Illustrations
Christ knew His calling at age twelve, but submitted to His authorities to fulfill God’s timing.
The Reward of Yielding the Right to Make Our Own Decisions The one attitude that will destroy meekness and bring God’s swift judgment is pride. Pride is reserving for ourselves the right to make the final decisions. By yielding this right, we conquer the root of pride. Remarkable Similarities Between the Demonstrations of Meekness in the Lives of Moses and Christ Moses
Christ
• Gave up the riches of Egypt
• Gave up the riches of heaven
• Chose to suffer affliction
• Chose to die on the cross
•R ejected by the Israelites, whom he tried to help
•R ejected by the Jews, His own people
•P rovided food in the wilderness
•P rovided food in the wilderness
• L ed multitudes out of bondage of Egypt
• L ed multitudes out of bondage of sin
h List a personal right that someone in your family tends to disregard or violate. Give that right to God. Purpose to thank Him for whatever response you receive from the one who has violated it. h Review “Personal Rights” in the Basic Seminar Textbook, pages 78–108. h Look for a specific way to serve the one in your family who has not respected your right. Carry out the service with the motive of freeing that individual to experience God’s working in his life. h Write a report about the situation in your journal. Use the vocabulary words.
Date Completed:____________ Evaluation:__________
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“Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
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How Did an Ineffective Missionary Receive God’s Power After Learning Meekness? Chittagong
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“That’s it!” Mr. Koning thought. “Those rascals! Someone has to teach them a lesson.” He closed down the medical clinic his wife supervised, hoping to deter theft by establishing some consequences. But closing down the much-needed clinic was not the answer. Many of the villagers were sick, and soon the alarmed missionaries realized they must reopen the clinic and help the people they had come to serve. Although Mr. Koning knew all the natives were guilty of stealing fruit, he soon discovered the real culprits. According to local custom, the one who physically planted something owned it. Thus, the natives whom Mr. Koning had hired to plant the garden considered themselves the owners,
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Meekness requires dying to self.
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The young missionary walked quickly to the corner of the large garden. He stepped past rows of odd-looking plants bristling with sharp, pointy leaves. His destination was a particular plant in the far corner. Just a few days before, as he examined his garden, he had noticed with satisfaction that the fruit on this one plant was nearly ripe. He had carefully covered up the I n d i a n prickly fruit with leaves, Ohoping c e a n to protect it from other inquisitive eyes. Now as he approached his carefully guarded treasure, he could almost taste the sweet, juicy fruit. With mingled feelings of anticipation and dread he parted the leaves. He could have guessed! The fruit was gone, and he knew who was responsible for the theft. This was not the first time his fruit had disappeared. The missionary was Dutchborn Otto Koning, known as “Tuan” (TOO-won) by the natives. He was ministering with his wife in the village of Abohoi (AB-oh-hoy) in Irian Jaya (formerly Dutch New Guinea), Indonesia. He had planted a pineapple garden and waited three years for the fruit to ripen and mature. The three years ended, but before 10˚N
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the missionary could even taste the eagerly awaited fruit, and before the fruit was even ripe, the village natives stole every one of the pineapples. These natives were chronic thieves, and no conscience prevented them from stealing the fruit. Nanning
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Courtesy of Otto Koning
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Some tribes built their huts on poles to protect against flooding.
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and all the natives were wondering why Tuan got so angry over something that he did not own! They called the missionary a “stingy white man” and told him he was angry all the time. This grieved him, and he thought of a solution. Mr. Koning divided the pineapple garden into two parts and carefully explained to the planters that they would each own a half and would not trespass on the other’s turf. The planters Courtesy of Otto Koning seemed to understand and agree, but it was still no use. The pineapples continued to disappear. The frazzled missionary’s next decision was to give all the plants to the natives and begin afresh. In return for planting a new garden for him, he paid the natives with new machetes. While reminding them that the garden was now his, he warned them to guard those machetes carefully. After waiting another three years for the pineapples to ripen, to his great frustration, the pineapples were again stolen before he could take even one bite of the fruit! Mr. Koning tried other “solutions.” He closed the trading store, but the natives left for the jungles. He had all the pineapples he wanted, but he had no ministry. After about a month he called them back and reopened the store. His last resort was to bring in a big German Shepherd. However, the dog terrified the natives and again jeopardized the ministry. The Konings had to get rid of the dog. By now, Mr. Koning’s health was in shambles, and his nerves were at the breaking point. He was taking tranquilizers, though
he believed that a missionary should not need such medication. Stolen pineapples were not his only concern—his reputation of anger in the village was not helping his witness for Christ. While home on furlough, Mr. Koning attended a seminar on Biblical principles of life. He heard a message on ownership— the truth that all we have belongs to God. What we give, we will have; what we keep, we will lose. He wept as he realized how he had clung to his rights rather than recognize God’s ownership and ultimate control. He gave the pineapple garden to God, along with his rights to it, and gave God “permission” to do whatever He wanted with the pineapples. Mr. Koning experienced great peace and joy in this surrender as he realized that the problem was no longer his to worry about, and God was certainly able to control His own possessions.
Courtesy of Otto Koning
In the jungle, rivers are the “highways” for travel.
Upon his return to Abohoi, Mr. Koning made the joyful discovery that the Lord takes good care of His property. The pineapples were bigger and better tasting than ever before. The missionary reiterated that the garden was God’s; if He wanted him to eat any pineapples, that would be fine, and if not, that was fine too. However, the pineapples continued to be stolen. When Mr. Koning thought to advise God about caring for His garden, the “Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
Holy Spirit reassured him that He could well look after anything that belonged to Him. Mr. Koning realized his need to die to his right to even be concerned about the garden. Now he had no need to get angry; God would protect His property. The natives soon noticed a difference in Mr. Koning’s attitude and asked if Tuan had become a Christian! Mr. Koning realized that although he had done many good things for these people and had taught them to love one another and to be kind, his message and works were nullified by his anger. Mr. Koning explained to the natives that he had given the garden to God, and God would now be looking after it. Surprised, this set the natives thinking. After some questioning, they realized that they had begun to experience many problems with hunting, childbearing, sickness, and fighting during the same time that Tuan had given the garden to God.
One morning, a throng of warriors surrounded the Koning’s house. They demanded that Mr. Koning take back the garden.
Courtesy of Otto Koning
One brave soul urged his fellow tribesman to let God own the garden. Couldn’t they see that Tuan was a Christian, a different person now? A fear of God and realization of His all-seeing power and knowledge began to develop in the tribe. Most of the natives stopped stealing, and those who continued to steal suffered serious consequences. As a result, many came to Christ, and the church in Abohoi grew in attendance and power. The Konings never lacked for pineapples again. They were able to give away much of the fruit to other missionaries. Mr. Koning’s decision to surrender his possessions and rights to the Lord became the springboard for a greater ministry to the people he had come to serve.
How would you feel if this group of headhunters ordered you to take back the garden?
How did a broken pot lead Otto Koning to yield his time to God? Courtesy of Otto Koning
The thieves were bold enough to offer the pineapples for sale to the Konings.
Suddenly the natives were faced with discipline from a holy God who gave consequences for stealing—consequences far bigger than Tuan could ever have imposed on them. When they realized God’s judgment for stealing from His garden, the natives were not pleased that Mr. Koning had given it to God. Meekness requires dying to self.
One day while in Abohoi, Otto Koning’s wife Carol came to him with a broken pot to fix. He told her he did not have time to fix it and, since she had a newer one in the “missionary barrel,” she disposed of the old one. The very next morning a native came
Courtesy of Otto Koning
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to him with the same pot, having retrieved it from the junk pile, and asked Mr. Koning to fix it. Ah! He thought he had just gotten rid of it! Mr. Koning tried to explain to the expectant native that he did not have time to fix old trash. At this refusal, the native insisted that Tuan did not love him. After a sleepless night of conviction, the missionary grudgingly agreed to fix the pot. But this was only the beginning of his troubles. Soon, others in the village were bringing their junk for him to fix. Mr. Koning knew he must fix it. He did not want to spend more miserable nights in guilt. Word quickly spread to other tribes and more people came with a wide variety of junk for the white man to fix. As a part of his missionary assignment, Mr. Koning was required to spend a certain amount of time on language study and give periodic reports to his authorities. Failure to do the required translation work would mean he could not stay on the mission field. To his intense frustration, however, he was spending more and more time fixing junk and less and less time on language study. He tried to teach the natives to fix their own things, but they ruined the tools and only augmented his problems. At the annual missionary conference, Mr. Koning’s honest report was that he had not done any Bible translation yet. How could he explain to his authorities that he spent much of his time fixing broken junk? They were not happy at the lack of Bible translation, but gave him another chance. Courtesy of Otto Koning Back in Abohoi, Mr. Koning tried to “solve the problem,” much like he had with the pineapples. He got a generator for power tools
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so the work would go faster. However, God had more to teach him, and He brought along more and more natives until Tuan was fixing junk for three whole tribes! Mr. Koning begged God to give him relief and help, but God did not seem to be worried about the time he spent repairing garbage. His health was declining, he was taking tranquilizers again, and worst of all, the natives declared he was not a Christian anymore because of the anger and frustration he showed.
Courtesy of Otto Koning
Finally, Mr. Koning stopped begging God and began to listen to Him. The Lord reminded him of the joy and peace he experienced after yielding his pineapples to God. Deeply convicted, he surrendered his time to God, declaring his willingness to fix junk the rest of his life if the Lord so willed. What freedom and peace followed this surrender! The next morning, Mr. Koning greeted the gathered natives with a warm smile and a cheerful readiness to fix the wide assortment of junk they had assembled. Amazed, the natives soon decided that Tuan had become a Christian again. From the time when he had first begun fixing the broken things, he had asked the natives to return the favor by coming to church and listening. They had done this, and now his new attitude of love and service persuaded souls toward Christ. “Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
What appeared at first to be a destroyer of time was actually God’s tool for drawing many to Himself.
How did yielding his reputation bring unexpected reward? After yielding his time to God, Mr. Koning continued to fix junk and still had no time for the required translation work and language study. He did not want to leave the mission field, but he had given his time to God and did not know what else to do. The mission board sent a missionary to the Konings to examine and evaluate their work in the village. His lack of translation work still concerned him, but Mr. Koning prepared three of his local churches for the missionary’s arrival. When the missionary came, Mr. Koning carefully avoided questions about what he was doing with his time and how the language work was progressing. He was determined that no one outside the village would know how he spent his time. The church service Mr. Koning had Courtesy of Otto Koning prepared for the Genuine joy on the faces of a missionary was couple who know the Lord a great success. The natives were enthusiastic, the native “preacher boy” gave a rousing sermon, and everyone prayed with great fervor. The visiting missionary was very impressed by what he observed and exclaimed to the nervous young missionary that he was ten years ahead of all the other missionaries in the region. He encouraged Mr. Koning to “keep doing what he was doing,” not knowing this primarily involved fixing all the local junk! Although greatly encouraged by this eval uation, Mr. Koning dreaded the upcoming missionary conference. He attended in Meekness requires dying to self.
trepidation, knowing the bad report he would have to give to the language board. After a sleepless night, he was convicted of his need to give his reputation to God. He felt great peace after doing this, knowing
Courtesy of Otto Koning
that he had nothing to lose and that God would surely take care of his reputation. There was simply no need to fret over it anymore. More and more, he was seeing that God wanted to control everything in his life. That day Mr. Koning went to the language meeting with peace in his heart and a smile on his face. Everyone was baffled when he gave his negative report with a smile and an unbowed head. They hardly knew how to respond to this attitude. Even his wife did not know the reason for his amazing attitude of peace. At that point, however, the missionary who had visited the Konings stood and gave a glowing report of their powerful ministry in Abohoi. The leaders were favorably impressed, and subsequently encouraged Otto to “keep doing what he was doing.” Yet still nobody knew what that involved! For years Mr. Koning had greatly desired to be elected to the “field council” with no success. The local board of directors was considered a place of recognition and honor, but this year he would not even try for a position on it.
The natives were fascinated by the airplane which brought supplies and tools that they had never before seen.
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He sat in the very back, feeling no desire or worthiness for the formerly coveted office. Furthermore, Mr. Koning knew his reputation belonged to God. James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.” This verse was demonstrated in Mr. Koning’s life, for despite his protests and lack of desire, the other missionaries unanimously voted Mr. Koning to the field council because of his outstanding work in Abohoi.
How did yielding rights open the door to greater ministry? Otto and Carol Koning
Meekness through yielding rights has been a characteristic of every truly Spiritfilled Christian throughout history. As a fruit of the Spirit, meekness is developed in our lives as we acknowledge the Lordship of Christ in every area of life.
Project:
Courtesy of Otto Koning
New believers were baptized in a nearby river.
As has been witnessed in the preceding stories, Otto Koning’s greatest ministry did not begin until he had yielded his rights to the Lord. Here are just a few of the blessings he experienced: • Souls were saved. • New churches were started.
h List the “pineapples” in your life that you have not yielded to God. Examples of “pineapples” could include possessions, children, spouse, health (including the right to be healthy), future, marriage (including the right to marry), time, reputation, dress, and talents. h Record how you tried to solve conflicts on your own, how man’s solutions did not work, and how God takes care of those rights and possessions you have yielded to Him. Share these results with others.
• Existing churches grew. • His health was restored. • He never lacked provision for his daily needs. Countless lives have been changed by the lessons he learned in obedience and in yielding rights to God.
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Date Completed:____________ Evaluation:__________
“Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
Science Resource How Does a Grain of Wheat Illustrate the Principle of Meekness?
1
Wheat and meekness are both classified as fruit.
“Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24).
By scientific classification, wheat is a “fruit.” In fact, all seed-bearing plants, including vegetables, are technically fruits. This grouping includes tomatoes, squash, string beans, and other produce we commonly call vegetables. It would be more accurate to refer to these as “vegetable fruits.” Fruits that grow from seed in a single season are ordinarily classified as vegetables, whereas fruits that grow on trees, shrubs, vines, and fleshy-stemmed plants that live for a number of years are usually classified as fruits. Thus, wheat is technically a fruit but could be referred to as a “vegetable fruit,” since it grows from seed in one season. Meekness is a fruit of the spirit. (See Galatians 5:22–23.) It is produced as we become engrafted into Christ, Who is the Vine. God wants meekness to be a result of our abiding in Him. (See John 15:1–8.) Meekness requires dying to self.
2
The process of death is required to produce both wheat and meekness.
Within every grain of wheat is wheat germ. It is actually a miniature plant designed to grow into a wheat stalk and produce a harvest of wheat. Growth begins when the seed’s outer coat splits open in the soil. This breaking allows moisture and oxygen to enter the seed Layers and nourish the germ in a pro- of bran cess called germination. Within every Christian there is the life of Christ. Paul affirmed this fact when he said, “Christ liveth in me . . .” (Galatians 2:20). However, Paul also explained that each Christian must die to self in order for Christ to be properly formed in him so that a harvest of spiritual fruit can be brought forth. He wrote to the young Christians in Galatia, “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you . . .” (Galatians 4:19). This inward growth requires a daily process of death to self, referred to in Scripture as crucifixion, in which we take up Christ’s cross daily.
Nutritive tissue of the seed (starch)
Husk
Wheat germ
(See Luke 9:23–24.)
3
The death needed for the development of wheat and of meekness can be hindered.
Water, oxygen, and warm temperatures are necessary to trigger the germination of dormant wheat seeds. The water causes the seed to swell and soften its outer coat so
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that the tiny wheat germ growing inside can break out. A seed requires the soil to contain large amounts of oxygen because it cannot produce its own food until the plant inside is fully developed. Plumule Cotyledon Hypocotyl
Seed coat
Epicotyl
Seed coat
Primary root Primary root
Wheat must “give up” being a seed in order to become a plant.
The absence of any one of these three essentials will stop the germination process. For example, even if the seed has plenty of water and oxygen, it will not grow if the soil is 35˚F. Wheat requires the soil to be a temperature of at least 45˚F before it will grow. Corn requires at least 55˚F. Likewise, meekness is a by-product of spiritual warmth, the water of the Word, and the energizing of the Holy Spirit. If the Christian becomes spiritually cold, stops taking in the water of the Word, or quenches the Holy Spirit, he will stop developing meekness.
Humus consists of decayed vegetation and animal matter rich in nutrients. The more humus the soil contains, the better the wheat will grow. Unless the soil is loose enough to admit ample moisture and rich enough to provide needed nutrients, the wheat will not grow well. Furthermore, the roots will be more susceptible to disease that can stunt growth even more. Proverbs 12:12 emphasizes the Christian’s need for a healthy root system: it is from the root of a righteous person that spiritual fruit is produced. Just as a poor or diseased root system will cause wheat to wither, so weak roots in a Christian mean that when persecution comes, he will be offended and drop away from a fruitful Christian life. “Some [seed] fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away” (Matthew 13:5–6).
4
The strength of wheat and of meekness depends upon the health of the roots. The root system of wheat takes in the moisture and nutrients from the soil and carries them to the stalk, leaves, and fruit of the plant. Thus, the best types of soil for growing wheat are those composed of silt (fine particles that keep the soil loose) and loams (soils that contain organic material called humus).
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Wheat and meekness both have enemies to their survival.
Some grasshoppers lead a double life. They can change, under certain conditions, from a solitary insect to a devouring, rapidly multiplying, migratory swarm of locusts. Wheat crops can be destroyed overnight by swarming locusts. Thick clouds of these insects may invade a wheat field and consume not only grain, but stems and leaves as well. “Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
Joel’s prophecy of a locust invasion describes their ability to be destructive: “. . . The land is as the garden of Eden before them [the locusts], and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them” (Joel 2:3). Locust plagues are identified in Scripture as judgments of God against those who resist His will. Resisting God’s will is the opposite of meekness. God brought a plague of locusts to Pharaoh when He hardened Pharaoh’s heart. (See Exodus 10:1–20.)
Grasshopper (Locust)
One of the worst enemies of the wheat crop, however, is the chinch bug. This invader arrives early in the season and feeds on the young wheat plants. The Hessian fly creates widespread destruction of wheat crops. In some years, it has destroyed one-tenth of the wheat crop of the United States and Canada. The female Hessian fly lays its eggs on the leaves or lower joints of the wheat plant. The young maggots that hatch then suck the juice from the wheat. In addition to the enemy of insects, wheat is also susceptible to many fungus diseases that attack the roots, stalks, leaves, and heads of grain. One such disease is loose smut. When it attacks a wheat plant, smut stunts fruit growth and eventually turns the wheat into a dusty mass of smut spores. Wild oats (Avena fatua) compete with wheat for sunlight, rain and nutrients, destroying the “hundredfold” potential spoken of in Matthew 13:8. These damaging seeds plant themselves in the ground and are able to germinate after lying dormant for over Meekness requires dying to self.
ten years. Wild oats are resistant to herbicides and are considered one of the worst crop weeds in the world.
Hessian Fly
The Enemies of Meekness Just as there are many enemies of wheat growth, there are also many enemies of the development of meekness. Every worldly and fleshly impulse that would prompt us to exercise our own wills in place of God’s will is an enemy to meekness. All of these impulses can be summarized by the following terms: “the world, the flesh, and the devil.” In this context, we are told to take up our cross daily and follow Christ. Only as we do this can we establish and maintain the fruit of meekness. Just as germination takes place only after the death of the grain, so Paul explains that we must die daily to all selfish impulses. Only as we die to the world and to self are we able to demonstrate the fruit of meekness. “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14). Those who reject daily dying to self in favor of gratifying the lusts of their flesh may claim to be Christians, but they are actually enemies of the cross. “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things” (Philippians 3:18–19).
Long Grain Rice
Barley
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Healthy grain and genuine meekness are valuable to their owners.
Head
Stem
Roots
The wheat plant grows to heights of 5 feet and Beard turns golden brown when Kernel ripe. The head of the plant holds an average of 50 kernels of grain. Many varieties of wheat have a “beard” of prickly hairs on Leaves the husks of the kernels. Wheat is a valuable staple from which we make Carbohydrates: bread, the 71.7% “staff of life.” Water: When a grain 12.5% of wheat falls Ash: 1.7% Protein: Fat: 1.8% into the ground 12.3% and dies, it brings forth a harvest that can sustain physical life. Similarly, God praises the value of meekness. It is a quality of great value to Him. “A meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price” (I Peter 3:4). Meekness also brings great reward to those who have it, for the meek “shall inherit the earth.”
Developmental Stages of Wheat 1. Separation Before a seed can germinate, it must be separated from the plant. Tomatoes fall off the vine. Apples fall off the tree. Maple seeds turn into “whirlybirds” and float away. Grains of wheat are shaken loose by the wind and fall to the ground.
in a seed must be removed before it can be stored or planted. If a seed is not completely dried, bacteria will cause it to rot.
3. Burial Most seeds must be buried 1⁄4 to 2 inches deep in soil before germination will begin. Burial protects the seeds from birds and surrounds the seeds with the needed warmth and moisture to stimulate germination. Such burial is a symbol of death.
4. Dormancy Most seeds go through a period of dormancy before they germinate. This process prevents the seed from sprouting at a time when the new shoots might freeze and die. During its dormancy, a seed shows no signs of life. It appears to be dead. Some seeds have been known to remain “dead” for more than fifty years before the right conditions brought them back to “life” again. In fact, the seeds of the lotus have remained dormant for several thousand years before germinating!
5. Yielding Resources When a seed is planted and begins to germinate, the germ of the new plant uses food stored in the endosperm to work its way through the soil and unfold its first leaves. This stage of development requires the seed to exhaust every bit of its own resources. A seed literally consumes itself before it can live.
Project: • What analogies can you see between the developmental stages of wheat and the development of meekness? Read the following verses: II Corinthians 6:17; Romans 6:5, 13:14; Psalm 1:3; and Matthew 16:25.
2. Dehydration Before a seed can germinate, it must be dried. Most of the moisture
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Date Completed:____________ Evaluation:__________
“Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
Authority Through Accuracy Enrolled in God’s School of How Did God Use Mathematics to Develop Meekness years later God appeared to Moses Meekness in Moses’s Life? in aForty burning bush and called him to return
When Moses saw Egyptian slave masters beating his own people, the Israelites, with cruel whips, he became irate and purposed to do whatever he could to lead them out of bondage. His first assertive attempt was an angry attack upon one of the slave masters. Moses killed the man and hid his body in the sand. (See Exodus 2:11–12.) The willful murder committed by Moses was hardly a demonstration of meekness. Instead, it was an explosive reaction that was not directed by God. The immediate consequence of Moses’ impulsiveness was that he was forced to flee to the desert. There he abandoned all ideas of liberating his people. This decision also failed the test of meekness, because it was an irritable expression of the selfish will of Moses rather than of the forbearing will of God. Meekness requires dying to self.
to Egypt to free His people from their bondage. Once again Moses exhibited a lack of meekness by insistently raising many reasons why he could not obey. It was not until God reassured Moses, equipped him with supernatural power, and agreed to let Aaron be his spokesman that Moses finally agreed to go. (See Exodus 4:1–20.) In view of all of this, the character description that God wrote about Moses seems astonishing. “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). This description of the meekness of Moses was actually written about him many years after Moses had accepted the awesome responsibility of leading the entire nation of Israel through the wilderness. Carrying out his overwhelming responsibility with all of its mathematical impossibilities forced Moses to learn the gentle and selfless quality of meekness.
The Magnitude of the Multitude That Murmured Against Moses When the nation of Israel left Rameses in Egypt, God stated, “And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth,
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about six hundred thousand on foot that over his own willful actions. Now he cried out were men, beside children” (Exodus 12:37). to God in submissive meekness and patiently Shortly after the Israelites arrived in the waited for God to give him directions. God showed Moses a certain tree and wilderness, they were numbered from age twenty and upward, and the instructed him to cast it into the bitter waters. The waters were then made sweet. It accurate total was 603,550 was at this point that God established a statmen. (See Exodus 38:26.) ute and an ordinance among His people. We also know from the complaint of Pharaoh that the Israelites had large families. In fact, the multiplying size of their families frightened Pharaoh into concluding that the Egyptians would soon be outnumbered by the Israelites. “And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; The children of Israel wandered in the wilderness. and the land was filled with them” (Exodus 1:7). The school of meekness How to Avoid the Diseases intensified for Moses shortly of Egypt after the joyous deliverance of Israel from 25˚E 30˚E 35˚E “If thou wilt diligently hearken to the the pursuing armies of Egypt. (See Exodus 15.) The multitude began to murmur against voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give Moses saying, “What shall we drink?” (See ear to his commandments, and keep all his Exodus 15:24.) Moses did not become contentious or exasperated with the complaining statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the people, because he was not dependent upon 35˚N his own resources or his own resourcefulness. Egyptians: The Route of the Exodus for I am the He had already learned how bankrupt he The Great Sea was in spirit; he had spent years in mourning Lord that (Mediterranean Sea) healeth thee” (Exodus 15:26). Calculation 1 The vast How many people left Egypt with multitude 30˚N Moses? Marah traveled • There were 603,550 fighting men. Elim from Marah Mt. Sinai • There were women and children. to Elim. In • Let us assume that for every fighting this oasis man there was one wife and three children. where there The traditional route of the exodus • A mixed multitude from Egypt also were twelve 25˚N joined them. For a reasonable estimate, wells of water and three score and ten palm add 10 percent of the number of trees, they set up camp. fighting men. Soon the nation of Israel left Elim and Answer (total estimate)__________________________ traveled southwest to the wilderness of Sin.
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20˚N
“Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
40
Calculation 2 If all the people who came out of Egypt were equally divided between the twelve wells, how many people would be dependent upon each well for their drinking water? Answer__________________________________________________
One month and fifteen days after leaving the land of Egypt, they were halfway between Elim and Sinai. Again they became irritable and contentious and murmured against Moses: “Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger” (Exodus 16:3). Faced with this new crisis, Moses again went to the Lord. God revealed two important messages to him: first, that God would provide food for the people; and second, that the murmurings of the people were not against Moses but against the Lord.
Bread From Heaven Manna “The manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium. . . . And the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil” (Numbers 11:7–8).
Coriander Seed The light brown seeds of the coriander had the faint smell of lemon and were less than a quarter of an inch in diameter. They were used as a secret ingredient in flavoring and often were chewed as a breath freshener.
Bdellium
Coriander flowers
Bdellium (DEL-ee-em) is the gum from the commiphora plant. It is white and is used in perfumes and incense in much the same way that myrrh was used. “And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat” (Exodus 16:15).
Instructions for Gathering “This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. . . . And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating . . .” (Exodus 16:16, 21). Gathering the manna that the Lord provided
The next morning when the dew evaporated, there remained on the ground “a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground” (Exodus 16:14). Meekness requires dying to self.
Calculation 3 How much manna did the average person eat each week in terms of quarts? (1 omer = 2.087 quarts) Answer__________________________________________________
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The Magnitude of God’s Provision
dissatisfied. They recalled the “flesh pots” of Egypt and began to weep. “Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent . . .” (Numbers 11:10). God became angry, and so did Moses. God has a right to be angry, because vengeance belongs to Him; however, the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Instead, in meekness, God expects us to yield to Him the right to get angry. (See James 1:20.)
Advanced Calculation How many truckloads did God provide every day to feed the nation of Israel? A 40-foot truck trailer measures 8 feet wide and 8 feet high. (1 quart = 67.2 cubic inches, 1 cubic foot = 1728 cubic inches) Answer____________________________________________________________________________________ How many truckloads did God provide during the forty years in the wilderness? Answer____________________________________________________________________________________
How did statistical interpretation cause Moses to fail a test in the school of meekness? After God provided manna for the nation of Israel, they again began to be 4000 3000
2400
1500
China
India
Hisa Dynasty
Indus Valley
1000 Shang Dynasty
Early Vedic
600
After Moses became angry, he changed the focus of responsibility for the people from God to himself, and he immediately became exasperated and irritable. “And Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?” (Numbers 11:11). Moses continued with inappropriate questions: “Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom? . . .Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat” (Numbers 11:12–13).
400
b.c. 0 a.d.
Chou Dynasty Ch’in Dynasty • Confucius (551–479)
Han Dynasty
T’ang Dynasty
Shung–Kanva
Later Vedic
• Aryan Invasion
500
1000 Yuan Dynasty • Marco Polo Ming Dynasty
Sung Dynasty
Gupta
• Buddha (563?–483?)
• Crusades
• Adam Creation
Old
• Abraham Noahic Flood Tower of Babel
Middle
New Kingdom • Exodus (ca. 1446)
Period of Decay
• Muhammad— Rise of Islam (570–632)
• David • Moses • Solomon
• Hezekiah’s Reign • Josiah’s Reign • Elijah • Judges of Israel • Daniel
(1348)
• Wycliffe (1320?–84)
Europe • Gregory I— Beginning of the Papacy (590–604) • Magna Carta (1215)
Rurik Dynasty, Russia • Huss (1369?–1415) • Viking Invasions • Socrates (ca. 470–399)
Assyria
• Black Death
(1095–1291)
• Charlemagne (768–814)
Egypt
1400
• Plato (427–347)
Birth of Christ (ca. 4 b.c.) • Augustus Caesar (27 b.c.–a.d. 14)
• Fall of Roman Empire (476) Greece Rome • Nero (37–68) • Byzantine • Alexander the Great (ca. 356–323) • Jerusalem Death and Resurrection of Empire Destroyed (586) • Aristotle (384–322) Christ (ca. 29 a.d.)
Babylon
Persia
Peruvian
Mexican
Inca
Note: Shaded bars and red text indicate time periods discussed in this Wisdom Booklet.
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“Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
In this perturbed state of mind, Moses concluded that he was not able to carry the burden, and he asked God to kill him. God then informed Moses that He would provide meat for the entire nation for a whole month until they were sick of it. At that point, Moses engaged in analyzing the statistics. “The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?” (Numbers 11:21–22). What Moses failed to do was recognize God’s ability to fulfill His promise—even when the situation seemed impossible.
“And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp” (Numbers 11:31–32). Calculation 4
The Confidence of Meekness
How many bushels of quails did the multitude gather based on the least amount per person? (10 homers) A homer varied in size from 3.8 bushels to 6 bushels, depending upon who was the king at that time. In older measurements during the time of the pharaohs, 1 homer was equivalent to about 10 bushels. Answer__________________________________________________
“And the Lord said unto Moses, Is the Lord’s hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not” (Numbers 11:23). “And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day’s journey on this side, and as it were a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth.
Industrial Revolution
Opium Wars Boxer Rebellion (1899)
2000
Technological Revolution
1900
World War II (1939-1945)
1800
The Enlightenment
Man Chu Dynasty
Date Completed:____________ Evaluation:__________
Peoples’ Republic—Communistic Republic • Chiang Kai-shek (1887–1975) Taiwan
World War I (1914-1918)
1700
The Great Awakening
1600
An artist’s depiction of gathering quails in the wilderness
Japan—Economic power •M ein Kampf • Joan of Arc (1412–31) • Printing of the Great Northern War (1700–21) • Napoleon (1769–1821) • Lenin (1870–1924) Adolf Hitler (1924) King James Bible • Voltaire (1694–1778) • Rousseau (1712–78) • Gutenburg’s Printing • Darwin (1809–82) • Australia (1611) Press (1455) • Galileo • John Wesley • Carey (1761–1834) United Nations • Queen Victoria (1837–1901) Commonwealth (1564–1642) • Elizabeth I England’s Bill of (1703–91) • Haydn (1732–1809) (1900) • Reunification of Germany Chartered (1945) (1533–1603)) •C ommunist (1990) Rights (1689) • J. S. Bach (1685–1750)• Mozart (1756–91) • Michelangelo (1475–1564) Manifesto (1848) U.S.S.R—Rule of • Handel (1685–1759) • Beethoven (1770–1827) • Rembrandt Communism (1917–1990) (1606–69) • Newton (1642–1727) French Revolution (begins 1789) • Spurgeon (1834–92) • Martin Luther • The Iron Curtain (1946) (1483–1546) • Shakespeare (1564–1616) • Calvin (1509–64) Romanov Dynasty, Russia • Cromwell (1599–1658) • Jamestown (1607) • Columbus (1451–1506)
• Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)
Declaration of Independence (1776)
• Moody (1837–99)
• Abraham Lincoln—U.S. • First Airplane Flight (1903) President (1860–1865) • Einstein (1879–1955)
•G eorge Washington— Civil War (1861–1865) First U.S. President (1789)
Pilgrims Come to America (1620)
•B enjamin Franklin (1706–1790)
War of Independence (1776–1783)
Aztec
Meekness requires dying to self.
United States of America • Alexander Graham Bell—Telephone (1875)
• Edison (1847–1931)
•G reat Depression (Begins 1929)
Vietnam War Gulf War
• First Man on Moon (1969)
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Law Resource How Is the Covenant of Marriage a Classroom for Learning Meekness?
The marriage relationship requires that each partner yield his or her personal rights and allow God to accomplish His purposes through their life together. This commitment is understood more clearly as we realize that marriage is a covenant rather than a contract.
What is the legal basis for a covenant?
When a couple enters into a marriage, they are enrolling in one of God’s most basic and most important classrooms for the development of meekness. How Does a Covenant Differ From a Contract?
Covenant vs. • Based on trust between both parties
Contract
• Based on distrust
•B ased on unlimited • Based on limited responsibility liability • Can be terminated • Can be voided by only by the death mutual consent of one party
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God designed and established a covenant as the most binding legal relationship possible. Through covenants, God bound Himself to Abraham, Noah, David, and others. The covenantal agreements were sealed by the blood of sacrificial animals. God also binds Himself to every Christian by covenant. The terms of this new covenant are defined in the document that He wrote, the New Testament. The words testament and covenant are identical. God sealed His covenant with us by the blood of His Son, just as He sealed the covenants of the Old Testament with the blood of bulls and goats. The seriousness of breaking the marriage covenant is emphasized in Malachi 2:13–16: “And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand. “Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. “And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. “Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
“Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away . . . .” The first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas wrote the following statements regarding the permanence of the marriage relationship. (Sheffield vs. Sheffield, 3 Tex. 79, 85–86 [1848])
Note that although he does not use the word covenant, he defines the terms of a covenant in his description of the contract of marriage. “The contract of marriage is the most important of all human transactions. It is the very basis of the whole fabric of every society. “The parties have pledged themselves, not only for their own happiness, but for purposes important to society, to live together during the term of their natural lives. “This engagement is the most solemn and important of human transactions. It is regarded by all Christian nations as the basis of civilized society, of sound morals, and of the domestic affections, and the relations, duties, obligations, and consequences flowing from the contract are so important to the peace and welfare of society, as to have placed it under the control of special municipal regulations, independent of the will of the parties. “The mutual comfort and happiness of the parties are the principal, but not the only, objects of the engagement. It is intended also for the benefit of their common offspring, and is an important element in the moral order, security, and tranquility of civilized society. “The parties cannot dissolve the contract, as they can others, but by mutual consent [because it is a covenant], and no light Meekness requires dying to self.
or trivial causes should be suffered to effect its recision. “While full effect is to be given to the statute, it should be remembered that, according to the experience of the most enlightened nations, the happiness of married life greatly depends on its indissolubility, and that the prospect of easy separation foments the most frivolous quarrels and disgusts into deadly animosities. “Parties may not be able to live together very harmoniously, but they cannot be separated except for reasons approved of by the law. And when they know they must live together, except for causes prescribed by the law, they learn, in the language of Lord Stowell, ‘to soften, by mutual accommodation, the yoke which they know they cannot shake off; they become good husbands and wives; for necessity is a powerful matter in teaching the duties it imposes.’ “Such construction ought to be given the statute, and such weight allowed the acts of the parties, as would effect the legislative intention; but there should not be such looseness of exposition as would defeat the beneficial objects of the marriage institution and sunder its bonds with almost as much facility as if it were a state of concubinage, dependent alone on the will of the parties.”
How is meekness the foundation of the marriage covenant? In the blood covenant, such as those carried out in the Old Testament, sacrificial offerings were divided down the middle and separated from one another. The parties to the covenant would then walk between the divided sacrifices and make their vows to each other. As the parties approached each other, they would identify with the death of the sacrifices by realizing that they, too, were dying to themselves and to their personal rights.
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Each one would then recite a list of all the assets and all liabilities and state that what belongs to him now also belongs to the other, and what belongs to the other is now also his. This picture is portrayed in the Hebrew word used for covenant, beriyth, meaning, “cutting, a compact made by passing between pieces of flesh.” God followed this procedure when He made His covenant with Abraham. God instructed Abraham to select several sacrificial animals and divide them down the middle. Then God passed between the pieces. “In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram . . . .” (See Genesis 15:10, 17–18.) When God led the Israelites out of Egypt, He established a covenant with them. In this covenant the people were to pass between the pieces of the divided calf. (See Jeremiah 34:13, 18.)
The symbolism of the divided sacrifices in the establishment of a covenant is contained in present-day wedding ceremonies by seating the family and friends of the bride and the groom on opposite sides of the auditorium. These individuals have sacrificed over the years in order to make it possible for each marriage partner to enter into the marriage covenant.
As these witnesses have laid down their rights in order to benefit each marriage partner, so the marriage partners are called upon to lay down their rights for one another.
Why must each marriage partner yield personal rights to the other? When a marriage takes place, it does not simply unite two people. It actually unites “six people.” All “six” must learn how to become one in the marriage. Among these six people, there are many personal rights and expectations that will not be understood or fulfilled by the others. Unless these rights and expectations are yielded to the Lord, they will turn into irritation, frustration, anger, and bitterness.
What rights must be yielded by each marriage partner?
The “six people” who come together in a marriage
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On the groom’s side:
On the bride’s side:
1. The person he thinks he is
1. The person she thinks she is
2. The person she thinks he is 3. The person he really is
2. The person he thinks she is 3. The person she really is
1. The Right to Parental Security In marriage, both the husband and the wife must leave the control and security of their parents in order to cleave to each other. God made this clear when He established marriage. “Therefore shall a man leave his
“Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). (See also Matthew 19:5–6.) Thus, in a choice between spending time with parents or with the spouse, a partner must choose the latter. In the matter of authority, the husband must make final decisions after seeking counsel from his wife and others, including parents and parents-in-law.
2. The Right to Outside Friendships
A successful marriage is based on the “best friends” relationship between husband and wife. No other friendship should supersede or interfere with this special relationship. All other friendships must strengthen the fellowship and oneness of the marriage partners. Additional friendships that require excessive commitments of time and energy must be terminated if they cannot be brought into balance. This discipline would also be necessary with friendships that cause either spouse to feel uncomfortable. The goal of each partner must be to please the other. “But he that is married careth for . . . how he may please his wife. . . . she that is married careth for . . . how she may please her husband” (I Corinthians 7:33–34).
3. The Right to Time Friendships require time to be together. For this reason, God instructed the men of Israel to stay home the first year of their marriages so that they could spend time with their wives. (See Deuteronomy 24:5.) The need for the husband to understand the wife and for the wife to understand the husband is also emphasized in I Peter 3:7. The husband is to dwell with his wife according to knowledge in order that their prayers be not hindered. Yielding the right to time involves rearranging priorities around the needs of the marriage and the family. Meekness requires dying to self.
4. The Right to Hobbies Each partner should have many personal interests and skills. However, when any one of these activities becomes a consuming focus and requires inordinate amounts of time, money, effort, and loyalty, it must be set aside in favor of the mutual goals of the marriage. The necessity of giving up such an activity is especially important when a hobby that one partner has is of little or no interest to the other partner. Often one partner will express interest in a hobby of the other before marriage as a means of getting acquainted, only to resent it after marriage as an intrusion upon more important priorities. The Scriptural responsibility for the husband to surrender personal hobbies, such as football, fishing, cars, and so on, is established in the fact that he is to lay down his life for his wife in the same way that Christ laid down His life for the Church. (See Ephesians 5:25.) The wife is to set aside personal hobbies, such as antiquing, gardening, tennis, and so on, that would interfere with her responsibilities described in Titus 2—to be wise, to love her husband, to love her children, to be discreet, to be a manager of the home, in order that God’s Word be not blasphemed. (See Titus 2:4–5.)
5. The Right to Demand or
Withhold Physical Affection
The most intimate part of marriage requires the greatest surrender of personal rights. I Corinthians 7:3–5 begins with this fact as it discusses the marriage relationship.
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“Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.” A married couple can experience significant physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits when they yield rights to physical intimacies during the wife’s monthly cycle. (See Leviticus 15:28 and I Corinthians 7:5.)
When they do come together, it is important for them to express affection in the manner that God designed and to reject all other forms of physical awho practice it. Because Hebrews 13:4 says “marriage is honourable in all” the marriage bed should not be defiled by deviant or perverted practices of any kind, even in marriage.
6. The Right to Be Loved and Honored
In a marriage relationship, the wife expects to be loved, and the husband expects to be honored. Scripture recognizes each of these expectations. “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands . . . . Husbands, love your wives . . .” (Ephesians 5:22, 25). Each partner, however, must yield these expectations and instead, concentrate on his or her accompanying responsibilities. Every wife desires to be loved, but it is her responsibility to honor her husband. She must focus on her attitude of submission to him rather than on his leadership or lack of
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leadership. By building her life around the life of her husband, she motivates him to lead her and love her. (See Titus 2:4.) A husband may wish that his wife would honor him; however, it is his responsibility to humble himself and love her as Christ loves the Church. By focusing on serving his wife and meeting her needs above his own, he proves his true leadership and motivates her to respond to him in submission. (See Matthew 23:11.)
7. The Right to Personal Tastes Each partner must learn to be sensitive to the personal tastes of the other and to show deference. Both the husband and the wife will bring into the marriage various preferences of design, color, traditions, and procedures, as well as varying standards of order and neatness. Each must yield rights to his own preferences in the spirit of Romans 12:10: “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.” Once each partner has yielded his rights, a husband and wife gain freedom in assigning certain areas in which the wife’s preferences will be chosen and other areas in which the husband’s preferences will be followed. Even after guidelines have been established, partners need to be sensitive to one another, always willing to yield their “rights.” • Ask each parent to trace a past argument to a personal right or expectation that the
Project: other violated or neglected. • Discuss how harmony in marriage can come only as each partner responds to the grace of God in order to obtain the desire and the power to live by God’s principles.
Date Completed:____________ Evaluation:__________
“Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
Health Resource How Can the Lack of Meekness Affect the Teeth and the Jaws?
Four types of teeth work together to prepare food for digestion. Incisors, or front teeth, work as scissors, cutting off pieces of food to chew. Cuspids, or canines, are strong and more pointed; they tear food into smaller pieces. Bicuspids crush particularly tough or hard food. Finally, the molars shred and grind the small pieces of food into a fine pulp that is ready for digestion.
How do the jaws work?
A person who fails to yield his rights will always be frustrated, angry, and bitter, because others will violate his “rights” or fail to meet his expectations. These harmful emotions, commonly referred to as “stress” and “tension,” then cause physical problems such as sleeplessness and ulcers. A lack of mercy often manifests itself in physical tension of the entire body—even the teeth and jaws.
What are the normal functions of teeth? Teeth have several basic functions. First, they determine the appearance of the lower half of the face. Healthy teeth also enhance one’s smile. Second, teeth aid us in speaking. We form many speech sounds, such as th, l, p, and f, by positioning the tongue and lips against the teeth. Most important, our teeth prepare food for digestion. Healthy teeth enable us to eat the variety of healthful foods that we need in order to maintain a balanced diet. Meekness requires dying to self.
The upper jaw, called the maxilla, is stationary, while the lower jaw, or the mandible, can move up and Central incisor down, back and forth, Lateral incisor and from side Cuspid to side. First bicuspid On each Second bicuspid side of the First molar mandible is Second molar a rounded head called Third molar (wisdom tooth) the condyle. The condyles A typical adult has thirty-two teeth—sixteen in the form joints maxilla (upper jaw) and sixteen in the mandible (lower jaw). By drawing an imaginary line from the tip of the in the sockets nose to the chin, we can divide the teeth into four at the base sections that should be exactly equal. Dentists refer to these sections as quadrants. of the skull just in front of each ear. Muscles and ligaments hold together the bony parts of these joints, which are called temporo-mandibular joints (TMJs), because they join the mandible to the temporal bone of the head. Without these two joints, we would not be able to talk, laugh, yawn, bite, chew, or even swallow.
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Four powerful muscles operate the TMJs: The lateral pterygoid moves the jaw forward, and the temporalis, the masseter, and the medial pterygoid all position the jaw for closing and chewing. When we are not using our jaws and teeth to speak, chew, talk, and so on, the mandible should be in a resting position (lips together, Frontal teeth apart).
Parietal
Nasal Temporal Zygomatic
Maxilla
Occipital Sphenoid
2. Shifting of the Teeth Occlusion refers to the fit of the teeth when they are in a closed, biting position. Malocclusion is an improper bite and tooth positioning. Badly shaped chewing surfaces, hereditary factors, tooth loss, a poorly filled tooth, or bruxism may all cause malocclusion. A child whose permanent teeth are subjected to excessive pressure may possibly suffer from malocclusion because his teeth will shift and move out of alignment under the pressure. They will then be more susceptible to decay or periodontal disease, and his temporo-mandibular joints will also be more susceptible to disease. Examples of Malocclusion
Mandible
Bones of the head and the temporomandibular joint
How does tension affect the teeth and the jaws? Tension, no matter what the cause, often aggravates the normal work/rest pattern of the jaw by causing a person who habitually clenches his teeth to clench Temporalis his teeth harder and/or more frequently than he did before. Bruxomania is the habit of clenching the teeth during the day, usually as a result of pressure Masseter and stress. A more common practice is that of nocturnal bruxism, which is clenching and grinding the teeth at Lateral pterygoid night. Bruxism sometimes leads to the Medial pterygoid following consequences. The muscles of the temporo-mandibular joint
1. Pressure on the Teeth When our teeth come together normally, they exert about 175 pounds of pressure per square inch against one another. When we are under tension, however, our teeth often exert from 300 to 600 pounds of pressure per square inch on each other!
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Overbite
Underbite
3. Wearing Down of the Teeth A misaligned tooth sometimes irritates other teeth when it contacts them. Trying to reduce the irritation and make the bite more comfortable, a person may unconsciously grind away at the offending tooth. This grinding wears away the tooth enamel and exposes the dentin, which is very sensitive to heat and cold. The person will then probably unconsciously grind his teeth even more in an effort to lessen the pain in his mouth.
4. Soreness in the Jaw Ninety percent of those who grind their teeth at night do so without knowing it. They might wonder why they often wake up fatigued or with tired jaws. The muscles that operate the jaw are tired and sore from “Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
exercising so much during the night. Sometimes this soreness causes mysterious headaches, neck aches, cheek aches, or pain around the ears. At other times, the overworked muscles may go into spasms and cramp so tightly that the person cannot open his mouth.
5. Disturbance of the TMJ Bruxism may also damage the articular disc that protects the TMJ, making chewing and opening the mouth both difficult and painful. A person who grinds his teeth may also hear annoying clicking or popping sounds that are sometimes painful, or experience a buzzing or ringing in his ears. Prolonged bruxism stretches the ligaments holding the articular disk of the TMJ, and the mandible will tend to dislocate if the mouth is opened widely. In some extreme cases, the disc tissue tears, degenerating and deforming the joint. Clicking, popping A click occurs when the mouth is opened and the condyle suddenly jumps over the thickened portion of the back of the articular disc. Limited motion in the joint Tight, overworked muscles no longer allow a dysfunctioning, dislocated joint to relocate upon opening the mouth. Degenerative joint disease Damaged disc tissue can lead to deformation of the joint.
6. Enlargement of the Facial Muscles
Sustained tension on the teeth will also harden and enlarge related jaw and facial muscles, especially the masseter muscle. Meekness requires dying to self.
7. Loosening of the Teeth A narrow gap called the periodontal (pehr-eeh-oh-DAHN-tull) ligament surrounds the root of each tooth. This ligament contains blood vessels, lymph vessels, nerve cells, and fibers that hold each tooth tightly in place. Bruxing can injure these fibers and vessels by overloading the periodontal ligament, producing bleeding and localized ischemia (lack of oxygen). This brings into action osteoclasts that eat away the area bone that supports the teeth. Soon the periodontal gap between the tooth and bone widens, allowing the tooth to become slightly looser. Healthy Teeth
Periodontitis
8. Tooth and Gum Disease Although there are many causes of dental disease, such as bacterial plaque and toxin, calculus (hardened plaque) diabetes, and other health problems, a major cause is continuous grinding of the teeth, which damages both the teeth and the root linings.
9. Teeth “Strangulation” The root of each tooth contains a vein, an artery, a nerve, and lymphatic vessels that enter at its base. Constant clenching cuts off circulation in the tooth Pulp by compressing the vessels against the jawbone. Prolonged constriction of blood vessels can kill the inner living pulp of Cementum the tooth.
What is the root cause of bruxism?
Enamel
Dentin
Gum
Blood vessels and nerves
Archaeologists have found signs of tooth grinding in the skulls of people who lived many years ago. Today, a large number of our population still brux, though many are being treated.
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When our mouths are closed, the condyle should fit into the TMJ, allowing all the muscles to relax and rest. When we bite, our teeth should fit together without shifting the jaw from this rest position. However, most people suffer from some sort of interference on the biting surfaces of the teeth that cause the jaw to shift, and therefore sometimes grind their teeth in an How Can an Army Dentist Detect attempt to Which Soldiers Have Not Yet Yielded alleviate the Their Rights? discomfort. The obedience of new recruits in training The pericamp can often be odontal ligaevaluated on the ment contains basis of which ones special nerves grind their teeth at called proprionight. Those who ceptors that humble themselves through obedience sense when a to their drill sergeant tooth is being are less likely to grind pushed off their teeth. But, those who do not accept the its long axis sergeant’s authority are likely to rebel and by bite interspend much of the night grinding their teeth. ference. The During the first few weeks of basic training, proprioceptors the dentist’s office is often filled with com“warn” approplaints of aching jaws and sore teeth. The stream of new cases continues until the priate chewing question of authority is resolved. Many of muscles that those who do not submit to authority develop certain teeth serious dental problems. and their supporting structures are out of balance. The muscles, trying to protect the teeth, then realign the jaw, “remembering” this message from the proprioceptors so that they can realign the jaw in the same position the next time the tooth is pushed off its long axis. Some doctors believe that the hypothalamus triggers bruxism as a response to the stress and tension in our minds and bodies. The intensity with which we grind our teeth is directly related to our emotional and spiritual state. Our bodies automatically tense up, particularly when we harbor bitterness, anger, unforgiveness, temporal values, immorality, and unyielded rights. Scripture associates tooth clenching and grinding (“gnashing of teeth”) with the guilt and anger with which
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an unbeliever responds to the Gospel (see Acts 7:54), and with the anguish of an unbeliever in hell (see Matthew 13:42, 50).
What is the cure for bruxism? We sometimes grind our teeth when our proprioceptors signal to our jaw muscles to realign the mandible. Therefore, the key to stop teeth grinding for some people is to prevent the proprioceptors from sensing the bite interferences, or to remove the bite interferences that push our teeth off their long axis and trigger the proprioceptors to realign the jaw. Dentists use soft vinyl or hard acrylic splints (tooth or night guards) to prevent the proprioceptors from sensing the bite interference. The splints fit over loose teeth, stabilizing them and correcting the malocclusion. However, splints are effective only as long as they are worn. A more permanent solution is the removal of the bite interferences that trigger the proprioceptors to realign the jaw. This is done by a process called occlusal equilibration in which the biting surfaces of the teeth are reshaped, or the teeth are moved orthodontically (braces). Occlusal equilibration is many times a permanent cure for bruxism if bitterness is “put away.” Bruxism is a serious condition, especially when it goes unchecked for prolonged periods of time. Thankfully, it can be cured. However, if we do not correct the spiritual problems that may aggravate and even cause bruxism and if we persist in rebellion, our health and our lives may be destroyed.
Project: • Meekness is one of the fruits of the Spirit and is a “good fruit” for the health of our teeth. On a separate sheet of paper, list one way each fruit of the Spirit would dissipate anger. (See Galatians 5:22–23.)
Date Completed:____________ Evaluation:__________
“Blessed are the meek . . . .” Matthew 5:5
Life Classroom Worksheet
Relating a Life Classroom to This Wisdom Booklet True learning does not take place without a change in thinking and a change in behavior. Record below how
1
Describe the situation:
God has arranged circumstances and situations to give you insight into this Wisdom Booklet. • Students thirteen and older may transfer their insights into their Journal of Knowledge, section four. (Note: Journals may be worked on simultaneously.)
2
What we would like to know more about as a result of this situation:
3
How has this situation brought application and insight in the following areas? Major Concept or Resource Topic:
Life Principles:
Character Qualities:
Practical Skills:
Application Verified by Parent ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� Date____________ Meekness requires dying to self.
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Wisdom Booklet 5 — 3rd edition
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