Humbly Laughing Series

I. Introduction

A. Dependent Order of Really Meek and Timid Souls

i) J. Upton Dickson, Christian humorist

ii) His pamphlet Cower Power

iii) Acronym DOORMATS

iv) Motto: “The meek shall inherit the earth…if that’s okay with everyone.”

B. Our idea of humble or meek

i) Lowly

ii) Not worthy of inheriting anything

iii) Nobody wants to be meek

iv) Pushover

C. Our scripture

i) Matthew 5:5: 5Happy are people who are humble, because they will inherit the earth.

II. The Biblical view of humility

A. The Greek word is praus: the middle between excessive anger and excessive angerlessness or a wild animal, like a horse or lion, that has been domesticated

i) William Barclay writes: “Aristotle used this word to describe the ‘happy medium’ between too much and too little anger”

ii) We all know people who are on those extremes

a) Managers who are extreme Type A personalities

b) Family members who are overbearing and dominate the conversation

c) People who let others walk all over them

d) People who say ‘Yes’ despite the hardship it may cause in their life

iii) The middle ground

a) People who are ‘even-keeled’

B. Moses

i) Killed an Egyptian slave master

ii) Stood up to Pharoah on multiple occasions.

iii) Led slaves for forty years through the desert and wilderness to make them a new nation

iv) Stood up to the grumbling and the back-handedness of the priests

v) Not what we would consider humble or meek

C. Jesus

i) When the people of his hometown sought to run him off, he walked through the crowd

ii) He overturned the tables of the money changers in the Temple

iii) He stood with dignity through two trials

iv) He took the beating from the Roman guards

v) Hanging on the cross he forgave those who sought his death

vi) He blessed a thief who repented

vii) Our definition of humble or meek doesn’t fit

D. Redefining humility

i) Calm assuredness of who you are

ii) Knowing when to get mad and when to let it go

iii) A strong, dignified presence

III. Inherit the Earth

A. Under our definition, this is not a reality

i) People who are doormats cannot be given the earth

ii) Would you trust the earth with a pushover?

B. Under the Biblical definition, this is a reality

i) People who fit the Biblical definition have a certain peace about them

a) They could be struggling, but they are at peace knowing that it is just for a season

ii) They laugh more

iii) They are in control

C. Under this definition and this promise, humility and meekness are virtues to be sought after

IV. Call to Action

A. Where do you find yourself?

B. If you are on one of the extremes, how do find the center

i) Prayer

ii) Bible Study

iii) Quiet Time

C. It’s hard to share God’s love when you are on the extremes