Meekness by Alan Martin

It is summer break and I have been away from my computer and will still be until mid August, but I could not help sharing what was so impressed upon me today. I was reading in I Timothy 6:11 - the list where Paul is instructing his son in the faith about what to flee and what to pursue. I happened to have been reading in my Greek New Testament and saw a word combination that I had never observed before. The last word in Paul's list to Timothy is not found anywhere else in the New Testament, but oh that I could have understood its importance from early on as a believer. The word is "praus" (meekness) and "pathos" (passion) together in one word - pauspathos.

Through study I had come to understand that meekness is that condition of a learned, disciplined restraint. Here the restraint is fully focused upon the area I need it the most - a restrained, disciplined - PASSION! Personal history has taught me that the majority of problems I have experienced in my christian walk has come from my "un-restrained" PASSION - Words spoken too strongly, emotions allowed to run to swiftly, reactions too agressively. Usually they were all a brief loss of "self-control" - but honestly very rarely were the repercussions "brief". Nerely every incident of "un-restrained" PASSION - left a lingering pain upon those it touched. I still deal today with the effects of some of those "brief" incidents that happened years ago. I am truly grateful that God gives beauty for ashes.

How I need this grace of a "meek-passion"! There is only ONE from whom I can receive this grace and I glorify Him as the treasured source of all the good that I still pursue as one not having fully obtained yet. In Hebrews when Jesus is described as our merciful and faithful High Priest, His dealing with us is described as "gentle" in most translations - but the original Greek word is "metro-pathos" a "measured passion". Jesus was always able to appropriately "measure" His passion. He was strong when necessary and tender when it was more appropriate.

This morning I caught again a glimpse of the glory of God in His face and I hope the effect will be that I will be transformed into the same image. I long for the "praus-pathos" (meek passion) from Him who was able to "measure" His passion. That's the great difference between Him and I. He tasted all the same PASSIONS that I have, but He perfectly measured every one of them. He is truly worthy of all worship, glory and praise.

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