I thought of this recently in the context of one person rebuking another.<\/p>\n
And another person rebuking another.<\/p>\n
And somewhere in there, one or more people rebuking back at the rebuker(s).<\/p>\n
And me wanting to rebuke the whole lot. \ud83d\ude44<\/p>\n
Rebuking sounds so Biblical and spiritual. <\/p>\n
Because it is.<\/p>\n
Except when it isn’t.<\/p>\n
Meekness may well be what makes the difference.<\/p>\n
I got to wondering what most Christian rebukers know about meekness.<\/p>\n
Let me tell you a bit of what I know cranially<\/i> about meekness.<\/p>\n Now let me show you how I know these things are so.<\/p>\n “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted”<\/span> (Galatians 6:1).<\/p>\n Meekness empowers restoration…and protects the restorer from temptation.<\/p>\n Meekness reveals Christian spirituality.<\/p>\n “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love”<\/span> (Ephesians 4:2).<\/p>\n Meekness is an essential ingredient of forbearance in the Christian brotherhood.<\/p>\n “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth”<\/span> (2 Timothy 2:25).<\/p>\n Meekness opens the door to effective instruction of those presently opposed to the ways of God.<\/p>\n Meekness keeps God’s people from hindering God’s redemptive work in the life of another.<\/p>\n “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”<\/span> (James 3:13).<\/p>\n Meekness combines with a person’s works to show wisdom in a life.<\/p>\n Meekness helps establish the presence of the wisdom from above.<\/p>\n “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear”<\/span> (1 Peter 3:15).<\/p>\n Meekness tempers and flavors and otherwise enhances the Christian’s declarations of hope, even more so those which come on the spur of the moment.<\/p>\n “Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you”<\/span> (2 Corinthians 10:1).<\/p>\n Meekness in the hearts of the disciples of Jesus adds persuasiveness to their claims of speaking in His name.<\/p>\n See what I mean?<\/p>\n\n
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