The Strength of the Meek

For so long the meek have been ridiculed as weak, they are seen as doormats or spineless. Yet in today's society, having the true qualities of meekness require great strength. A truly meek person is extremely difficult to find and yet when you get to know one, they are both a joy and delight. The strength of a meek person lies in his ability to not be provoked to anger, to deflect the wrath of another and to defuse fiery situations. The meek person will also rather forgive a dozen wrongs than take revenge for one. Their true strength lies in their ability to keep God's will as their focus and not allow their own emotions and desires to take precedent. Many a stony heart has been softened and many a life been positively impacted by these amazing people. The meek are calm when all around them the world is raging. They are the humble in spirit who put others before themselves and who know, that without God in their lives, their lives count for nothing. Having a meek person as a friend or spouse is a true blessing, for life with them around is peaceful, joyful and even in the dark times they are strong. Meekness is not a personality trait, but rather a strength that is learned only through a constant and sincere relationship with God.

Living Life on Purpose

I don't know about you but I find these well-meaning books about living purpose-filled lives downright depressing! In fact, they have a tendency to make me feel quite inferior! As a result of this though, I have been trying to get to the bottom of what a "purpose-filled" life means for someone of mediocre skills and talents who is not going to be an accomplished rocket scientist or the next Billy Graham. After much soul-searching and even tears of self-pity, particularly when I was down in that dark pit of depression, I have finally come to the following conclusions about what a purpose-filled life means in (I hope) God's eyes.

No matter what we think God has gifted each of us in different ways. Using those gifts that we have been given results in a life lived purposefully! How do we know what our gifts are? If you have ever had a passion to do something, e.g. visit the elderly in your nearest home for the aged; send encouraging messages to a friend; bake a cake for someone at work; babysit; write poetry; I could go on and on but I'm sure that by now you get the picture, then follow that passion. Even if you are afraid to try, afraid to appear foolish, afraid you will disappoint yourself or be rejected in some way, just do it. You will find that the first step is the hardest and from then on, if it is what God is wanting you to do, the rest will follow and you will wonder why you had taken so long to get moving. The amazing degree of satisfaction that you will get out of doing what God has asked you to, no matter how small it may seem in the eyes of world, will make you realize what a purpose filled life is all about.

It's not about the job's we do or our level of financial success or fame, but rather about doing the small (or big) things that God has called us to do that impact the lives of the people around us. We may never know what impact we have on someone else but that does not matter, what matters is that we have done what we were called to do. Living purposefully is not about us, it is about obedience to God and the difference we make by doing what He calls us to do.