meekness

Today the state of New York rejected legalizing gay marriage. When it did not pass I posted a comment on how thankful I was that God was still moving in our country and that it didn't pass.

I opened up a can of worms.

At the time I really did not think that anyone would comment on it. At least not angrily. Those that I knew would disagree knew how I felt (and I knew how they felt because they had posted stuff about how they wanted the vote to pass...) and I really didn't expect anything to happen.

I was wrong.

I recieved a very angry comment from someone. As I was sitting there praying and wondering what to respond back I remembered Proverbs 15:1 "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." (emphasis mine) I try to be very gentle in my responses to those who are not believers. because I have all to often met those christians that don't want to hear anybody else's side of the story and just start condemning people to hell.

I don't want to be like that.

I want people to know who I am and where I stand, and I also want them to feel open and comfortable to approach me with a topic that we might not see eye to eye on. Respectful discussion is a good thing. The Bible charges us to always be ready to give a defense to anyone that asks us the reason for the hope that is in us, with gentlessness, and respect." 1 Peter 3:15

I prayed that God would help me formulate my words and crafted a polite, but not cowardly, response. Meekness does not equate to weakness. The Biblical definition of meekness is power under control. Gentle. Kind, yet firm. When Jesus talks about blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth, He's not saying, "blessed are the cowardly."

The person that was upset continued to be upset and some other people took it upon themselves to comment and one person meant well but got carried away in the moment and was not very considerate or gentle. So, the fire got hotter and so did the tempers and now I have quite an assortment of angry comments sent back and forth between people. I came home from being gone and and I was reading back and forth and the last one that is directed towards me is especially angry. The person kept talking about how inconsiderate and closed minded I was.

This is when my flesh started taking over. I wanted to post back how, "funny, I'm supposed to respectful of everyone else's opinion but if mine is different from yours it's wrong." I wanted to tell this individual that I was sick and tired of people who are so "open minded" bashing on my opinions. That's what I wanted to say. Then I caught myself. Or rather, the Holy Spirit nudged me. Instead I said a quick prayer, closed the page, and am on here writing. Even though I didn't post that, I still failed at being genlte. My words and my feelings were not Christ like. Things done in secret are just as bad as if done in public. How small my faith is to respond rightly the first time around and then the second time around fall so quickly into my flesh.

Then I remembered. Didn't He tell us this would happen? Didn't He especially warn us of this? Why then, am I so surprised? John 15:8, "If the world hates you, keep in mind it hated me first." 1 John 3:13, "Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you."

The person that is so angry at me. They're not really angry at me. They're angry at Him, at His words. I am just the vessle. He knows what it is like to have a world that hates Him. And yet, He still loves us enough that He came and died for us. Meek. The power to create and destroy heaven and earth, yet instead He came and walked in our shoes, took OUR sins, bore OUR punishment. Power under control. Jesus is the ultimate defintion of meek.