MEEKNESSMEEKNESS
vs. Anger
Yielding my personal rights and expectations with a desire to serve
I WILL:
I will:
·
Be
slow to get angry;
· Not boast;
· Not grumble or complain;
· Look for ways to help those in need;
· Be willing to go last.
Used with permission by Character Training Institute
The family is the best place for training and praise of character. As you meet together, go over the definition from the bulletin, calendar, etc., then read one Scripture and perhaps a section of the character bulletin. Encourage each family member to share one insight into meekness. Moms and Dads, share times when you had to be (or should have been) meek and have everyone be alert to times God will give opportunities to practice this character quality.
SCRIPTURES ABOUT MEEKNESS: (Note: these scriptures use the word “meekness” in the King James Version; other versions may use other words. Use this as extra teaching by having one family member read it in the KJV and a second person in another version. Then you can compare synonyms for “meekness” to expand your understanding of the meaning of this often-misunderstood quality.)
Numbers 12:3 Matthew 5:5 Colossians 3:12
Psalm 22:26 Matthew 11:29 I Timothy 6:11
Psalm 25:9 Matthew 21:5 II Timothy 2:25
Psalm 37:10,11 II Corinthians 10:1 Titus 3:1,2
Psalm 147:6 Galatians 5:22,23 James 1:19-21
Psalm 149:4 Galatians 6:1 James 3:13
Isaiah 29:19 Ephesians 4:2 I Peter 3:4
I Peter 3:15,16
Dad and Mom, be alert to ways to praise your children and each other for meekness. What you praise you get more of!
GROUP LEADERS’ HELPS:
MEEKNESS
vs. Anger
Yielding my personal rights and expectations
with
a desire to serve
I WILL:
· Be slow to get angry;
· Not boast;
· Not grumble or complain;
· Look for ways to help those in need;
· Be willing to go last.
Used with permission by Character Training Institute
NOTE: Meekness is used in the King James Version; other versions use other words; one approach would be to read it from both the KJV and another version and compare.
CHRIST-LIKE IN MEEKNESS: Always remember that our goal is to be like Christ and our power to do that comes from abiding in Him! Use the Meekness character bulletin to get an understanding of the meaning of this quality, then look up Scriptures that describe Jesus’ meekness. Meekness is not weakness! Meekness is strength under control; consider that Jesus was Almighty God and thus omnipotent – yet He controlled that unlimited power to serve others.
Divide up into small groups or assign a verse to individuals and have them look for the answers to these questions:
· How does this Scripture show that Jesus “yielded his personal rights with a desire to serve”?
· How can we be like Jesus as described in these verses?
Matthew 11:28-30 atthew 21:1-5
II Corinthians 10:1-5 I Peter 2:21-25
Also have people think of instances in Jesus’ life where he could have used His Almighty powers selfishly. Yet, he yielded his rights as the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe in order to serve sinful men. For example, in Matthew 26:53 when Peter tried to defend Jesus in the garden when He was arrested, Jesus said that He could have called 10 legions of angels to His aid. How did he yield His personal rights with a desire to serve?
MEEKLY MEETING LIFE!
Distribute these scriptures which apply meekness to various circumstances in life. What difference would meekness make in the situation? How could you show that you are “yielding personal rights and expectations with a desire to serve”? How can this make us more like Jesus?
Numbers 12:1-3 and II Samuel 16:11 (Rebellion against authority)
II Corinthians 10:1-6 (handling criticism)
Galatians 5:19-26 (discerning what is of the Holy Spirit)
Galatians 6: 1,2 (restoring a sinful Christian)
Ephesians 4:1-6 (maintaining unity in the church)
Colossians 3:11-14: (unity among various groups)
I Timothy 6:11: (Godly manhood)
II Timothy 2:25-26: (handling opposition)
Titus 3:1,2 (relating to government and society)
James 1:19-21 (accepting correction from God’s Word; note the contrast with anger)
James 3:13-16 (being wise and understanding)
I Peter 3:4 (Christian wives)
I Peter 3:14-16 (witnessing, especially to those who slander you)
REWARDS OF THE MEEK:
Men say that meekness will make you seem like a wimp, allow people to walk all over you, and keep you from getting to the top. The world’s philosophy is to stand up for your rights, assert yourself, show them who’s in charge, look out for #1, etc. But the Bible exhorts us to be meek – and with it comes many promises. Remember: Every command contains a promise and opens the way for a miracle. What are the promises given to the meek? Why is meekness required to get the promise?
Psalm 25:9 (God’s guidance and instruction)
Psalm 37:10,11 (Will inherit the land and enjoy great peace)
Psalm 147:6 (God sustains)
Psalm 149:4 (Know God’s delight and salvation)
Zephaniah 2:2,3 (shelter from God’s wrath)
Matthew 5:5 (inherit the earth)
Consider two great men of the Bible who were described as meek. How did they show it? What benefit did they reap?
Jesus: Matthew 11:28-30
Moses: Numbers 12:1-9
“I WILL…BY GOD’S POWER!”
In large letters, write each of the five “I WILLS” above on large cards; these give practical ways to apply meekness. Then find scriptural background for each; the verses below will help you get started. One approach with a group that includes children would be to have a Bible Sword Drill: give a scripture reference to everyone (all begin with Bibles closed); the first one to find it stand up; wait until everyone finds it; have the first one read it, then see which “I Will” it teaches. To give everyone a chance: have the one who was first give the next reference, hold the card with the right “I WILL” written on it, or sit out the next rounds. (Mix up the following order.)
Be slow to get angry:
James 1:19 Proverbs 29:11 Ecclesiastes 7:9
Proverbs 29:22 Matthew 5:22 Psalm 37:8
Not boast:
Psalm 10:3 James 3:5 II Corinthians 10:17,18
Proverbs 27:1 James 4:16 II Peter 2:17,18
Not grumble or complain:
I Corinthians 10:10 John 6:43 Philippians 2:14,15
James 5:9 I Peter 4:9
Look for ways to help those in need:
Psalm 82:3 Jeremiah 22:16 Galatians 2:10
Psalm 41:1 Matthew 19:21 James 1:27
Be willing to go last:
Mark 10:31 Matthew 19:30 Philippians 2:3
STRENGTH UNDER CONTROL: VISUAL ICE BREAKERS
HORSES:
Powerful and interesting lessons come through God’s creation in nature, so use the example of a horse. Perhaps find pictures of horses (or have your cell members bring them) that show a horse using its strength (racing, pulling, delivering, racing, etc.) Discuss how a horse must learn meekness and compare what it accomplishes when it is wild and when it is trained. Make analogies to the need for meekness in our lives and how to learn it. A resource for this can be found on the character library at www.characterfirst.com.
A DAM: Introduce with a picture and amazing facts about a large dam such as Hoover Dam – including how much water it holds back and what it accomplishes in electricity, etc. Compare it with meekness, great power under control. How does the dam serve others? The Meekness Introductory video also has a section on this.
JACKIE ROBINSON: Ask some sports facts questions in a little trivia contest. Include a question, “Who was the first black man to play on a major league team?” Or ask some “Who was first to…? questions that encompass more than sports. The Meekness video (available in the resource library) has a very interesting and short segment about Jackie Robinson. How did his meekness show strength? How did he serve others through his meekness? What doors did he open because he combined strength with meekness?
CRITICISM – A PAINFUL NECESSITY:
As an icebreaker, collect a number of various small articles in a pile, some with iron and some not, then use the magnet to pick them up. This magnet is like our response to criticism: use it to take out what is true and valuable and leave the other parts behind. Is that hard to do when you or your children are criticized? How do we usually react? How should we react? Discuss the four principles of meekness from Volume 2 bulletin on Meekness:
1. Wait: Don’t act on impulse or lash out in self-defense.
2. Consider: Is there any truth to the criticism?
3. Accept: Respond to the truth, no matter how little. Respond to the reproof, not the person.
4. Thank: express honest appreciation for telling you the truth, no matter how small.
Are these our human reactions? Can we see why meekness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24)? Why does meekness require us to “crucify the flesh with its passions and desires”?
MEEKNESS IN A FAMILY
Personal rights and expectations are the foundation of many clashes in family life. Give each person a paper and three minutes to write down at least one right or expectation that causes interpersonal problems in a home: husband/wife, parents/children, children/children (don’t worry, we can all think of some!). Now get into smaller groups and look at these through the lens of meekness – if you had a desire to serve rather than “stand up for your rights” or “meet expectations,” what difference would it make in a home? Rights are a giant word in our culture, but Christians are to follow Christ in giving rights to God. The home is a loving place to learn meekness.
ANGER: “Emotions are like fire—a good servant but a bad master!” (Power for True Success). One destructive emotion is anger, a great destroyer of relationships. “Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.” (Unknown) Consider a time when you got angry recently, then look for an unsurrendered personal right that was threatened. Let anger be a warning signal reminding you to be meek, surrendering your rights to God. Study these scriptures on anger and make a list of insights that will help us control and respond to anger. Encourage each person to choose one to memorize in order to use it when tempted to be angry.
Psalm 37:8-9 Proverbs 21:14 Ecclesiastes 7:9 Colossians 3:21
Proverbs 14:17 Proverbs 22:24-25 Matthew 5:22 James 1:19-21
Proverbs 15:1, 18 Proverbs 27:4 Ephesians 4:31
Proverbs 16:32 Proverbs 29:22-23 Colossians 3: 6-8
Helps developed by Deanna Guy