Moderation and Meekness: Just What We Need

Last updated on: November 13, 2014 at 10:46 pm by John Mark N. Reynolds

Moderation and Meekness: Just What We Need 2014-11-13T22:46:02-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Christians need leaders who are moderate and meek.

Saying that sounds like advocacy for impotence, but Moses, the meekest man who ever lived, was no wimp. Moderation is a virtue and it ought to go without saying that it is good to be good. Extremism in defense of liberty is tyranny with good rhetoric, moderation in pursuit of virtue prevents becoming so straight you lean a bit.

A moderate man or woman knows what to do, how much to do it, and gets the job done. He does not draw undue attention to self or do more than most be done. The moderate man knows that excess is as dangerous as defect: liberty can become libertine, law legalism. The moderate man resists radicalism, even in love, because he knows that radicalism destroys love.

No mother should love her children absolutely: such worship becomes idolatry. What of God? We love Him with our whole being, but we love God as God. We do not love God as we love our dog, our pizza, or even our spouse. We love God as limited humans can. Human history teaches us that religious zealotry, confusing categories and virtues, has done as much harm as any other zealot.

The moderate man will die for his nation when patriotism bids, but do nothing for jingoism. The moderate man faces the lions cheerfully, because prudence demands living for eternity and not for the moment, but will do nothing out of zealous pride. The moderate man knows the time for speaking, silence, and action.

The moderate man is meek, because he knows the limits of his power and his knowledge. We think we are right or we would change our mind, but know we might be wrong and so we do as little harm as we can. We are careful and know that carefulness takes more courage than swashbuckling folly. Meekness is the tribute power pays to human ignorance.

Crying “to hell with it” as a rebel is easier than the quiet, deliberate action of a Washington, but the rebel ends the tyrant while the meek man ends the father of his country. The meek man goes home when the task is done, the radical stays long enough to set up his own guillotine. The meek will inherit the earth, because the radicals will consume themselves before His coming.

Fly from a youth group that demands total commitment. Give instead only careful and moderate assent. Give yourself to God, but know that what you call God is often a mixture of your vanity with the real God of the Bible. Distrust the self-promoter, the glib, the radical.Walk instead the courageous pathway of the careful.

Prudence in the face of evil is the first step to holiness.

I vote as much as possible for those who share my values, but would implement those values with care. I dread the man who would sweep away the past in the name of the future. I loath the experimental, the radical, the immoderate, and the fool who says in his heart there is not middle way to God.

Truth is absolute, but my knowledge is incomplete and so I will walk with care toward the light as God gives me the ability to see the light.

Spiritual Reflections

Previous Post

November 12, 2014

Beware Becoming the Music Man: Reflections on a Weekend Reading Ion

Next Post

November 25, 2014 The Thin Blue Line and Death in America

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics Art Culture Education On Books On Education Philosophy Politics Pop Culture Spiritual Reflections Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 July 2025 June 2025 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 June 2023 September 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many Beatitudes are in the Sermon on the Mount?

Select your answer to see how you score.

12 10 7 8

Books by This Author John Mark Reynolds

See All Titles »