A Slippery Disposition

Did you ever see one of those “greased pig” contests? You know the purpose of the grease is to make the pig slippery and harder to catch. Everybody has a lot of fun watching a bunch of guys slip and slide all over those pigs trying to catch one. Well, maybe not everyone. The pigs might say different.

While giving a lesson on the beatitudes a few years back, the phrase “slippery disposition” occurred to me as something that would be desirable for a Christian to have. I mean the kind of disposition or attitude in a person that would make it hard for the one who is after us to get a good hold; make it harder for him to catch us and easier for us to stay away from the evil one.

The beatitudes can very easily be referred to as God’s formula for success. I don’t mean monetary success or success in the arenas of politics or society. I mean true, eternal success: eternal life in heaven. That’s what every Christian should be concerned with. There are several very interesting things about the beatitudes which begin the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). They all begin with the word “blessed,” which describes a blessedness that is beyond the understanding of the world. It would have to be, would it not? How else could He say that those who mourn are blessed?

Each of the first three beatitudes describes what most would think of as negative traits: poverty of spirit (which is, at least in part, emptying oneself), mourning, and meekness. That doesn’t sound like we’re on the right track when it comes to the way to success! When does the good part begin? If you want to skip ahead to the end and find out how we’re supposed to make it, after employing such humility, look at James 4:9, 10, but come right back to Matthew 5:5, because that’s where we’re going to find this “slippery disposition.”

The New American Standard Bible says, “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). Most version say, “Blessed are the meek…” The word “meek” or “gentle” is an important one to the Christian. It is in this word that we find the grease. One part of the meaning of “meekness” or “gentleness” is “under control.” The person who is meek is cool while others are hot. He doesn’t allow himself to lose control. She is exactly the kind of person who would make a good peacemaker, one who is pure in heart and merciful. It is no mystery why the first three beatitudes are what they are. Before you can ever put on the characteristics of the others you must prepare yourself in humility, and that includes putting yourself completely under control so that you may offer yourself to the control of God.

Another meaning of meekness is self-sacrifice. It takes one who is in complete control of himself to make of himself a sacrifice. The meek person is not concerned with his own betterment. He’s not defensive of himself. He doesn’t have to have his own way. He’s interested in God being glorified, not himself. This is why Moses is considered the father of the meek (see Number 12:3). Also, consider Jesus…NO ONE was more meek than Jesus, the Terrible Meek. The first time I read that title and knew the author applied it to Jesus, I was surprised, almost offended. How could Jesus be a terrible anything? And yet, if we consider Jesus from the point of view of His enemy (Satan), that’s exactly what Jesus was…the Terrible Meek. Satan could do nothing to Him to overcome Him. He tempted Jesus, but Jesus was willing to suffer rather than give in. He had complete control. He offered Jesus everything that He came here for (the whole world) and Jesus still gave God the glory. He wasn’t interested in His own glory over His heavenly Father’s. The worst the devil could do to Him was the very thing Jesus came here to do. How do you win over someone like that? You don’t, and that’s the point! Jesus had such a slippery disposition, Satan could never get a good hold on Him.

This week, when you feel the old devil breathing down your neck, remember the meekness Jesus wants you to have. He didn’t give us Matthew 5:5 just so we wouldn’t get too full of ourselves because He wants the spotlight. He was trying to tell us what we need in order to survive. Put yourself under control. Give yourself up to God and let Him control you through His Word. There will be some situations in your life that will make it very hard to focus your attention anywhere else but at the enemy bearing down on you, but you can do it. Close your eyes (spiritually, at least), take a deep breath, and even with your enemy right on your heels, give yourself fully to: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God…You shall not put the Lord your God to the test…You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only” (Matthew 4:1-11).

It may not feel like it, but you have all the strength and weapons you need to fight off a frenzied attack by the devil. You don’t have to go out of your house into a world today, or the rest of this week, or the rest of your life, in fear. All you need to do is slather on the grease and he can’t touch you. God gave you meekness just for that purpose because He loves you and so do I.

Donnie Bates

According to the Need of the Moment

The apostle Paul wrote of the importance of encouragement in our speech. In Colossians 4:6 he said, “Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” This is not an admonition to use “salty speech” (i.e., profanity) as some among us are wont to do. Salt, as it is used here, would have the same meaning as it does in Matthews 5:13 where Jesus tells us that His disciples are the “salt of the earth.” In other words, it’s good for the earth that Christians are a part of it. Our speech should reflect that fact. It should be good for others to be in our company and hear our speech.

In Ephesians 4:29, Paul commanded that no “unwholesome” word be spoken by us. That means that nothing “unwholesome,” or “corrupt,” or “filthy” should come out of our mouths. Obviously, this would apply to profanity. However, profane words are not the only corrupt, filthy, and unwholesome communication we can use. Words that bite are filthy. Words that criticize (not constructive and positive criticism, but negative and destructive criticism), words that teach others to criticize are unwholesome and corrupt speech and should be purged from our minds and mouths.

The positive alternative is in the same verse (Ephesians 4:29). Rather than filthy communication, use speech that’s good for edification. That means language that builds others up rather than tears them down. We said earlier that being salt means that it is good for the world that we are here. Seasoning our speech with salt that builds means that it is good for those around us to hear what we are saying. Spreading the Gospel message of the saving grace of Jesus Christ is certainly included, but a simple “Thank you” is just as salty! Try it sometime (no, all the time). The next time you are sitting in traffic in the left turn lane and there is a little old lady in the car in front of you and the green arrow comes on and she doesn’t see it and just sits there, try something new. Instead of imagining that she is just callous and rude and doesn’t care that if you don’t get to McDonald’s at precisely 10:30, they won’t have any sausage biscuits left and you blow a gasket between your ears in frustration, try imagining that she has a lot on her mind and needs your patience more than she needs your horn going off in her ears. Try the same thing the next time you have the opportunity to speak to someone who has been rude to you or has given you an opportunity to speak evil or good. Weigh the need of the moment and then speak something that edifies and not something that hurts or tears down. What you’ll find is that the healing and the edification happens to you as much and maybe more than to the one you have blessed with your salty speech.

I know that there are times when constructive criticism is necessary and there are many times when we are too afraid of it to use it, and damage is done because we didn’t criticize. However, for today I want us to concentrate on not being destructively critical of others but being edifying in our speech and conduct. Remember, God loves you and so do I.

Donnie Bates