Meekness should never be mistaken for weakness. Just because someone is silent on a subject, do not assume that they are ignorant. Jesus is the quintessential example of meekness; however, he was neither weak nor ignorant, but was in fact the exact opposite, coupled with humility, grace, poise and professionalism. Though his ministry spanned over a three and a half year period and multiple books in the Bible cover the accounts of those years, let us look at three examples that show the manner with which he dealt with people.
Firstly, Mark 7:32-35 tells us, “And they bring unto him (Jesus) one that was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, ‘Be opened.’And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plain.” All the supporting actions Jesus did to complete this miracle could have been done right where they first met, however, Jesus chose to ‘take him aside’ as to preserve this man’s dignity. Whether it was because he was going to spit, touch his tongue or ears, or whether He knew what the man’s first reaction would be, once his hearing and speech was restored, or all the above, His manner was professional. He sought the good of the recipient and the Glory went to God.
The second example is found in Mark 8:22-25, “And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes and made him look up: and he was restored and saw every man clearly.” Once again, we see where Jesus took the man by the hand and led him out of town. That action alone is one of compassion and humility. He wanted to preserve the dignity of the blind man who already endured a life time of scorn and shame because of his condition. This time he directly spit on the man’s eyes and touched him, which could have been a public spectacle that Jesus in his wisdom knew to avoid. Jesus also had to make a second adjustment on this occasion, because not only did he have to touch the eyes, but the mind also of the man. This could have been an embarrassing scene, and Jesus did not want him to become a laughing stock of the onlookers.
Thirdly, John 9:1-7 gives us this account of another blind man, “And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,and said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.” The onlookers were already trying to cast disparaging accusations on the blind man and his family, which Jesus immediately addressed, however, he went even further and healed the man, so that God could receive Glory as He had told them. In this occasion, it seems the man was probably born without any eyeballs. Jesus literally made them of clay; however, this left the man literally with mud all over his face. Rather than his first sight being mud all over himself, Jesus sent him to the pool to wash, so that he could come back not only seeing, but washed as well, with his dignity intact.
Are you an owner of a company, a supervisor in your department at work or just a coworker at your place of business? Are you a pastor, teacher, or leader in your church or just a saint and soulwinner? Are you a parent to one or more children or a child of elderly parents? Are you a citizen, neighbor, or friend to someone? The list could go on and on because no matter your assignment, title or status in life, there are those subordinate to you or going through life along side you who deserve compassion, professionalism and dignity extended to them in any exchange we or others would have with them, as we ourselves deserve the same. There is nothing more off putting than to see someone, no matter how intelligent, creative, or important they are, act in an arrogant way. Humility and professional behavior go a long way to heal hurts, right wrongs and build bridges. However, keep in mind, showing compassion, understanding and meekness does not justify wrongdoing, and meekness does not mean weakness.
Politicians in general, often lack humility and find it difficult to balance their position and their own humanity. Whether it be from a lifetime in the spot light, a lack of people skills or just a certain sense of self-importance it is never an attractive characteristic and does not instill confidence in the hearts of the average public. However, there are exceptions to this rule that are refreshing to find. In the year 1901, when President William McKinley was assassinated, his Vice President stepped up to the plate, number twenty six, and known as the ‘youngest’ President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. Some of the traits he was known for are, friendship, compassion, demanding work, mutual respect, tenacity, drive, optimism, determination, and he had the ability to invoke good will in others to drive them to get things done as well. I wrote a convocation paper a couple of years ago regarding a speech he gave on April 23, 1910, at the College of Sorbonne in Paris, France, called, “The Citizenship in a Republic Speech”. I would like to share the ‘Summary of the Artifact’ that I wrote. Though a little lengthy, it shows his personal humility in character and the professionalism with which he treated others.
“Summary of the Artifact
Theodore Roosevelt gave his opening remarks to the University body by showing humility and a respect for the institution and its history. He did so with great eloquence, befitting the establishment of higher learning that he was addressing. He continues to flatter them by acknowledging that this, the old land, is where the visionaries came from that would eventually lead to the establishment of the New World in the west. He states that conquering it though, is a different story. It is by sheer grit, warfare, and schools as refined as theirs, which takes years to establish, before they can be a place of ‘higher learning and broader culture’ as themselves.
He began to describe the evolution of the pioneer life to students who may never experience it for themselves. He tells them how that once the conquest of a land is over, life then continues to advance. There are men and women of all occupations who assist in the sustaining and development of life, and how this is then passed on from generation to generation. Good and evil, virtues and vices all live together in one world. Being new and dynamic, they become more self-centered and self-reliant, and often ‘blind to their own shortcomings.’ Industry along with materialism grows. Once material success is achieved, they will look back and realize that this is only a foundation, and the wisdom and learning of the Old World is not to be left behind but should be incorporated into the fibers of their New World. To build a nation, they must be willing to learn from those who have gone before.
Roosevelt then introduced his subject, ‘individual citizenship.’ With this, he acknowledged that both France and America were democratic countries in which the quality of its individuals were of utmost importance yet compared to socialistic or communistic regimes only one individual is important, that being the leader or dictator. Their countries may rise for a time and enjoy success, but it will be of no effort of their people. Our country’s greatness depends on the average citizen fulfilling their duties in their day to day lives and the exacting standards maintained by our leaders.
He told them that the world would be blessed if their leaders would come from the student body he was addressing, yet they must have the attributes of sympathy toward the commoners and a dedication to elevated ideals. He admonished that their education and privileged life will demand a return. He also gave a warning, that cynicism; criticism, aloofness and an attitude of sneering are a sign of weakness not superiority, as they may have been led to believe. He states, “The poorest way to face life is to face it with a sneer.”
Next is the compelling paragraph from which the adopted name of the speech, “Man in the Arena” is taken.
‘It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.’
He then continued to wag the proverbial finger at those who allow ‘refinement’ to spoil them so much so that they become of no good to society. He hopes that these privileged youngsters will not succumb to such a plight. The ones who will be remembered are those who actually do something with all their might, whether they fail or succeed, not those who sit on their pedestals and talk about it, no matter how wealthy, or fancy they think they are.
He complimented France as an artistic and literary nation, as a cultural center of Europe for centuries, and for their language that is epic, loved and embraced by all. He then urges that this is all well and should be continued, yet one thing above this should be sought, that is a character of honor, courage, good force, and faith. The ‘mark of a masterful people’ is qualities such as common sense, self-mastery, power of accepting personal responsibility and self-restraint, along with the ability to work with others. Without these, education and physical exercise, polish and cleverness are all for naught. Roosevelt acknowledged once again that he is speaking to a brilliant group, however, he states, that though someone has great intelligence they should never forget everyday virtues and qualities.
Three aspects are to be reviewed. The will and power to work is one of these commonplace qualities that should be taught and observed by all. Those that are idle should not be envied nor praised but scorned. The most rewarding and valuable work can be civil service where there will be no pay, and those who participate should be noted. Next, it is incumbent upon men to be brave and willing to go to war and fight for all that is dear, if necessary, though peace and righteousness is to be preferred and sought. Thirdly, willful sterility will be a curse to a nation because it will cause its civilization to decrease. It is a sign of selfishness. Our fight for freedom and all our achievements will be worthless unless we perpetuate a nation to pass them onto. A man must first take care of his home, wife, and children, supplying the necessities of life and education; secondarily help others. Without this foundation, society will crumble and bitterness from being overextended will take root.
Roosevelt then went on to say that once the foundation of family has been laid and established, it is also essential to build upon it. There is not only a need for wealth, but for the rightful use thereof, and for an intelligent guiding force in the business world to be successful. Those who work to advance their society and nation should be admired and awarded, but those who hoard their wealth are not to be considered a worthy citizen of the community. In the business of money, property rights and human rights are identical in their fundamentals, yet if one should need to be chosen above the other, human rights would come first. Two admirable traits in business are the gifts of oratory and money-making. They both must be performed with high conviction, values, and moral quality, in conjunction with action, to be effective for the nation. If not, it leads to corrupted power. The man that cannot speak eloquently, but acts, would be far preferred. This holds true for journalists as well, conveying news through the written word. They must uphold integrity and honesty in their presentation and withhold menacing slander and offenses lest they use their platform for mischief.
Regarding citizenship, the sluggish and timid man has no place in society. Every citizen should strive to be efficient and learn to use it for the good of the public. With that must be an underlying sense of morality or he will be a threat to the whole. If we in turn admire the corrupt when they succeed, we as citizens show ourselves unworthy of the freedom we have as a democracy. Good citizenship should first be practiced in the home, at work and for the matters of State to have influence and continue the ‘free government in an industrial civilization.’ Those that sit around and give advice without lifting a finger are useless, foolish and poison to the nation.
Furthermore, citizens should have elevated ideals and goals, but not so lofty that they cannot be achieved. Better a lowly doer than an embittered visionary who has not accomplished anything. The great orator and preacher should allow for those who would put his thoughts into action. He should not be so practical that he cannot uphold ambitious standards, yet not be so lofty that his vision cannot be attained by himself and others. Individualism, while good can be as dangerous as socialism. It should be encouraged; while leaving open the notion that more might be accomplished if as society develops, they learn to work together. He gave an example of farmers working together to achieve the good of the whole, as their communities grow. Much of this should be known by sheer common sense. Socialism is the demise of any society. We should seek to allow individuals to better their personal circumstance while working for the good of themselves and their communities. However, we should not be so weak as to not use promising ideas even if they come from someone who professes to be a Socialist.
We should not perpetuate lies regarding equality, but we should strive to bring it about. Abraham Lincoln is our example. He talked about the constitution stating that all people were created equal, and had the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He did not necessarily mean that everyone was already enjoying their equality or rights at any given point. This was a high standard that was set for all men to be able to reach for equally and as a society we should continue that cause until it is realized. Everyone should have an equal opportunity to render service, but the one that does it well should get the reward, to not create delinquents who unjustly think they deserve recognition as well. Yet in the same token, we should lend a helping hand to those who stumble and are not able, without making them feel that they are in the same category as those who lay down willingly. Ideas can be used and rejected by trial and error, no matter who has authored them. Being an extremist to either side is not advantageous, all must work together if we are to achieve equality in all worthy matters.
Good citizenship is to love liberty not only for yourself but for all those who are a part of your nation and to allow everyone to exercise that liberty. Class hatred should be set aside and loyalty to the republic should be upheld. People should be judged by their own behavior and not the wealth or position they do or do not have. Bigotry has been the downfall of nations and we should therefore attempt to tolerate varying opinions within our republics to grow.
Beware of the public man who will promise to get you something for nothing. He is out to gain something for his own interest. Those that would steal and deceive saying it is for your interest, will steal from you also. Do not trust a man who says he has the good of all humankind at heart if he cannot commit to the good of his own nation first. He will treat his nation as he treats his family and neighbors and other nations of the world as he treats his own nation. A public servant should treat others honorably. International law, municipal law or private law should all be conducted in a way as to not harm others, whether sanctions can be imposed or not. High morals do not indicate weakness. A nation should be willing to fight for justice yet all the while attempting to maintain peace.
Roosevelt concluded by complimenting their country once again. He stated that they have been able to teach ‘generous gallantry and brilliance’ above other nations. They have belonged to one of the great powers of the world. They have a gift of beauty, power of charm, wisdom, strength and have been a leader of humankind. He wished them as proud citizens of a leading nation, a future much greater than even their great past, for which men would die to defend.”
This is just my analysis of this extraordinary fourteen page, single-spaced, speech, however, you can find and read his full speech, online. How great it would be to hear more of these types of oratories from those who are in the position to influence lives, cities, counties, and nations. Having personal integrity bleeds over to all we do in word or in deed in our lives. Treating others with respect and dignity is more of a call to action than even offering a reward. I am not sure of President Theodore Roosevelt’s religious upbringing per se, but he was a notable example of how to treat your fellowman and how to inspire others.
Acts 18:24-28 gives us an account of how to share the truth of the Gospel with others, “And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spoke and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.” Priscilla and Aquilla did not dispute what Apollos knew already but shared with him ‘the rest of the story.’
Jesus was known to speak and teach to the people in parables. These were earthly stories that he put heavenly meanings to. He used what the people knew, to teach them more, without insulting their intelligence. He showed great professionalism.
There are many cultures that are highly driven by honor, and ‘saving face.’ Saving face means to ‘preserve one’s reputation or honor.’ This expression evolves from the Chinese idiom ‘to lose face,’ meaning ‘to ruin one’s reputation, be humiliated or suffer public disgrace.’ In these cultures of ‘face’ they are highly conscious of their individual reputation and social standing and will do almost anything to ‘save face.’ Also, someone with an exemplary reputation can assist those who may need a boost in that area. For instance, one new to the group at school, might be extended the invitation to sit with those of good reputation at lunch thus ‘giving face’ to the new comer. In the business scenario, open criticism is avoided in public at all costs, due to causing an individual or company to ‘lose face.’
Jesus’ mother, Mary, knew the concept of ‘saving face’ and preserving the dignity of others, which prompted Jesus to do his first miracle of turning the water into wine, though he said his time of ministry had not yet come. John 2:1-10 tells us, “And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, they have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.”
To give all the examples in scripture and from life stories could take days, weeks, and months, however, the ones we have seen here have given us enough to ruminate on and try to emulate. Exemplifying professionalism is not for the ‘saving face’ of others only, but in doing so, we build our own reputation as well, of one who is humble, compassionate, and kind. Though these are characteristics of the meek, they are not a sign of weakness. On the contrary. This shows intelligence, strength, and resolve. Jesus’ reputation of compassion preceded him, Mark 6:54-56 states, “And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him, and ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.” So, in conclusion, if you want to be a successful professional, Lesson 101 is, ‘Be more like Jesus’.