Developing a Spirit of Meekness

Romans 12:3-5

One of the worst days of my life resulted from not knowing what was expected. My wife made it clear that she wanted me to take her out for a ‘nice’ dinner. She’d made arrangements for one of the families at church to babysit so we could have the evening to ourselves. Since we’d been having some marital problems, and I’d been given the impression that the future of our marriage was at stake, this was definitely not a casual date.

Having grown up in areas where there were not more than three cafes less than fifty miles from our home, eating out was a matter of going to the closest café. She wanted a ‘nice’ place. Finally she told me about a new restaurant she’d heard about, so I called and made reservations. She refused to tell me what she was expecting, but with so much at stake, I was quite tense as we prepared to go. I had not been to the peoples home who were to babysit, and missed the turnoff, then discovered that the house numbers were missing and had to stop and ask where the house was. By the time we had dropped off the kids, and found the restaurant, we were quite late and there was hardly anyone there.

Since so much was at stake, and I had no clue what I was expected to do, everything that went wrong increased my anxiety. After beein told that the first two items we ordered were no longer available, I was in full panic mode, almost unable to speak. I have no memory whether the food was good or not. My wife was visibly upset, and I had no clue which things were upsetting her, increasing my stress. By the time the meal was over, my only interest was in getting away from the situation.

Had I been sure she wouldn’t leave me if I didn’t get it right, my level of stress would have been greatly reduced. Unfortunately she put it in the form of an ultimatum. Not knowing what was expected, I had no way of judging success or failure, and no guidelines at to what to do if it didn’t seem to be working. Panic was the natural outcome of any sign of failure.

Many people try to live a Christian life in similar circumstances. They believe that their salvation depends on pleasing God, but they have little or no idea what that entails. Seeking advice from others may or may not alleviate the problem, since they may not have any better idea than you do.

In writing Romans, Paul has focused on the things every Christian ought to know, and he has not failed in this area. He has made it very clear that neither our salvation, nor our remaining saved depend on our doing some specific set of things. We will not lose our salvation if we mess up. Hebrews 13:5 tells us, “…for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” what a relief it is to understand that.

In chapters 12 through 15 of Romans, Paul specifically designates what is expected of us. The focus is not on a set of rules, but on the attitude which results in such behavior. Galatians 5:22-23 describes the fruit of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” These are not fruits, but parts of the fruit. Just as the peeling, the flesh, the seed cavity, and the seeds are all essential parts of the fruit, each of these parts are essential.

If we examine each part of the fruit of the spirit, we find that the represent an attitude or mindset. Just as the fruit can only be produced by the particular fruit tree, so only the Holy Spirit can produce a spiritual attitude or mindset. The flesh may recognize that a behavior is unacceptable and be able to act in a specific manner, but it still has the old mindset to contend with. Romans 6-8 showed why we can have the new attitude. Now Paul is laying out what is expected so we can understand when we are not living under the Spirit’s control. He starts with the attitude we have towards ourselves as compared to other people.

“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” (Romans 12:3-5)

I Corinthians 3:3 makes it clear that strife and contention are clear indicators of an unspiritual state. Proverbs 13:10 states, “Only by pride cometh contention…” We are to have an attitude that doesn’t create conflict, in which pride is not present. Philippians 2:3 directs, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”

Just as in the human body, different parts serve different functions, in the church different individuals have different functions. I Corinthians 12 describes the Holy Spirit as providing different spiritual gifts and duties as he sees fit for the benefit of the entire church. Every individual is critical to the proper function of the church, and as Paul pointed out, many times the most important was least noticed. In the body, the thyroid gland is seldom considered, yet it affects the function of every other organ in the body. The same is true in the church. We are not to consider one member, including ourselves, above others. Each one is there because God put them there. They are to function as a single unit.

Philippians 2:5-8 instructs us to have the same attitude as Christ. “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.”

Jesus himself gave some specific instructions as to the attitude we are to have toward one another in Luke 22;25-27. “And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.” We ought to have the attitude of a waiter at the tables, a slave, or a little child, waiting for the pleasure of others. Titus 1:7, describing how to tell if a man was spiritual, says, “not selfwilled, not soon angry.” We must not be determined to have our own way. Jesus went even further, stressing that we were to avoid titles that set one above another. As an example, Matthew 23:8 commands “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.”

The Corinthian church was a carnal church. I Corinthians is entirely devoted to pointing out teachings and practices that they doing in the flesh rather than as directed by the spirit and telling what needs to be done instead. Because of their carnal idea of setting some positions as more important than others there was considerable jockeying for the best positions. Chapter 12 stresses that it is God who assigns the jobs, and the struggling to get a better one is displeasing to him. We ought not to get upset or leave a church because they don’t give us some coveted position.

“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.” (Romans 12:6-8)

Rather than trying to get a better ministry, although it is something to be desired, we need to focus on the Job he has given us. Only when we have performed the present job satisfactorily will God assign a new one, and sometimes the one he assigns may initially appear as step down. Whether your job is just giving, or encouraging, teaching Sunday school, preaching or paying the bills, do it to the best of your ability. II Timothy 4:5 directs, “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” It is what Paul was referring to when he said, “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office,” in Romans 11:13.