Rick Warren - The Strength God Gives to the Gentle and Meek

Today, we're in part three of the series on Jesus'

eight keys to living a blessed life.

They're often called the Beatitudes.

That the first eight verses of the most important sermon

ever preached on planet Earth, the Sermon on the Mount

in Matthew chapter five, Verse five, Jesus says this the

third key to God's blessing on your life. God blesses

those who are gentle. Look at that, God blesses those

who are gentle.

And then here's the promise. The whole earth will belong

to them. Are you kidding me?

That's about the most extravagant statement ever made. The whole

earth will belong to anybody who's gentle. Do I really

believe that?

Well?

I wouldn't except Jesus said it, And Jesus doesn't lie.

Jesus said, I am the truth. Not I have the truth.

I teach the truth to point the truth. I am

the truth. So if Jesus says, God blesses those who

are gentle, the whole earth will belong to them, guess

what I believe that he's saying. Somehow locked up in

this third key of blessing is the key that when

you learn what it really means to be gentle. The

world's yours. I mean, it's your apple, it's it's you're

You're in charge, just not driving you.

You're driving it. Now.

In our hard driving, ego driven, market driven culture, you

don't hear a whole lot about gentleness. And the reason

why is we don't understand what it really means to

be gentle. We think gentleness means weakness, and God says

absolutely not. The gentle are the strongest people on the planet,

and the earth will be theirs. It's the weak people

who are arrogant. It's the weak people who are prideful.

It's the weak people who are pushy and rude and

mean and gossip. Those are weak people, he said. The

truly strong people in life are the gentle, and the

world will be theirs. Now, I want you to write

down a definition. This is not the first fill in,

so don't put it on that line. He's gonna have

to write it somewhere else.

On the outline.

But let me give you a true definition of gentleness.

It's here on the screen. Gentleness is strength under control. Gentleness,

the Bible teaches real gentleness is not weakness, but rather

it's strength under control. A gentle person does not over react.

A gentle person is not driven by their own emotions.

A gentle person is not someone who just is so

moody and anything can let them fly off the handle.

Gentleman person is strength under control. The Greek word in

the Bible for gentleness is the word pratase pratase In

the old translations of the Bible. In English, it is

translated as the word meek meek. Now nobody uses that

word anymore because meek has become a synonym for weak,

and gentleness or protease is anything but weak. In fact,

the word pratase or gentleness in the Bible was actually

used to refer to a wild.

Stallion that had been tamed.

If you go out into the fields or in the

hills and you find a wild stallion who's strong and unbridled,

and they have enormous strength, and they could kick you

and kill you pretty quickly. But if you bring that

stallion back and you tame it, then the strength is

brought under control. The strength is bottled up for the

master's use, and now it's useful. A tamed horse is

no less strong than a wild horse. It has just

as much strength. It can go just as fast. But

a tamed horse, a proud taste horse, a meek horse,

a gentle horse, is one that it is strength under control.

It is bottled up for the master's use.

And when you learn true gentleness as a man of God,

when you learn true gentleness as a woman of God,

it doesn't mean you're weak. It doesn't mean you're a doormat,

It doesn't mean you're any of those things that you

might think meekness or gentleness means. It means you're not overreacting,

you're in control of your emotions, and you have strength

under control.

Now to day.

I want us to look at the strength of gentleness,

this third key to being blessed by God in your life,

and specifically, I want to give you eight benefits what

the Bible says eight benefits of learning gentleness, so that

this week you'll actually begin to work on this quality

in your life. Because once you understand what this quality

will do in your life, you're gonna go I want

to be a gentle man, or I want to be

a gentle woman because it brings so many blessings in

your life.

I'm gonna give you eight so we're.

Gonna have to write quick take notes, real quick.

Number one.

Let's get right into it. How learning to be gentle

will bless your life? Number one. The Bible teaches gentleness

diffuses conflict. Gentleness diffuses conflict, It de escalates anger, It

curbs anger, It difuses the time bomb in any relationship

that's about to explode. Gentleness is an antidote to anger,

the Bible says in Proverbs fifteen, verse one, A gentle

answer turns away wrath, but.

A harsh word stirs up anger.

I don't know if you've noticed this or not, but

it is tendency of human beings. You and I tend

to mimic the emotions of people across from us. And

the reason we do this is because there's created in

your brains. What are now we now know about this.

We didn't even know about this years ago. We're in

your brain. Are things called mirror neurons in your brain,

and mirror neurons allows you to sympathize and also allow

you to mirror back what other people feel. So, for instance,

if somebody gets angry at you, you get angry back.

If somebody gets upset, you get upset back. If somebody

is really depressed, you hang around them long enough, you

get depressed. On the other side, hand, if somebody's energetic,

you get energetic. That's part of the system. Now, the

Bible says, a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a

harsh word stirs up anger. Let me give you a

little tip that will save you a lot of problems

and a lot of heartache and a lot of conflicts

in your life. When other people raise their voice, you

lower yours. That simple tip will save you from an

enormous amount of conflict in your marriage and your parenting,

and your friendships and at work. When other people raise

your voice, you need to learn to automatically lower yours.

That's called strength under control. See what happens is usually

when somebody raises their voice against you, you raise your

voice back, and then they raise their voice higher, and

you raise your voice higher, and pretty soon it's way escalated,

way up here. That means you're out of control of

your emotions. Strength under control gentleness means that when they

raise their emotions, you lower yours, and you're not going

to mimic and mock them. Here's a good verse. You're

gonna need someday. Maybe some of you need it this week.

Ecclesiastes ten to four. If your boss is angry with you,

don't quit. If your boss is angry with you, don't quit.

A gentle a quiet, gentle spirit can overcome even great mistakes.

You see, when your.

Boss rips one on you and just let her let it,

let's it rip and just kind of vomits on you

bad and really gets mad at you, you need to

first realize it may not be anything have anything to

do with you. They may have just got a bad

phone call. They may receiving pressure from their boss. They

may have a bad situation at home, They may eate

a bad pizza.

It could be any number of things.

And now they're turning to the person's closest to them,

which is somebody who works for them, and they just

kind of vent on you. And a lot of times

that has nothing to do with you. And he says,

when your boss gets angry at you, he don't get

angry back.

But be don't walk away either.

Just hang in there, because it says a quiet spirit

can overcome even great mistakes. Number two, Gentleness not only

difuses anger. Gentleness this is a big one disarms critics.

It disarms critics. Now, the more successful you are in life,

the more critics.

You're going to have.

If you don't do anything with your life, nobody's going

to criticize you. The only way to not be criticized

do nothing, say nothing, be nothing. But if you actually

stand for something instead of falling for anything, you're going

to be criticized. Friends, if you're having trouble staying consistent

in your Bible study and quiet time, one thing you

can do is have the Daily Hope devotional and podcast

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Now, how do you handle the critics in your life?

People who gossip against you at school, at work, in

your neighborhood, the people who malign you, who say bad

things against against you. Here's the point. When you respond

in gentleness, it disarms your critics. Why, it actually disappoints them.

Because when somebody criticizes you on social media, they're trolling friends,

They're they're trolling. They want to hook you, and they

want you and they they're expecting you to get mad back.

They're expecting you and and they want you to be

defensive and they want you to get angry. Now, let

me explain the psychology behind this. There is actually an

anger addiction that is as real as any other addiction.

Some people are addicted to the feeling of anger. It's

the only way they feel alive. And they live in

such a depressed state. They're living in so much depression

in their life. The only way they can actually feel good,

or feel alive, or feel energetic is to get mad

at somebody. Those people are always looking for a fight.

You know who I'm talking about. Don't look at them,

but you know who they are. Maybe you had a

parent like that, you know, maybe you married somebody like that.

Maybe I had a boyfriend like that, And it's just like,

why are you looking for a fight? Because some people

actually don't feel very good until they get angry. And

when they get angry, then what happens is it energizes

them and they.

Feel a whole lot better. Does that make sense?

So you cannot let that let them pull you in,

because somebody's going to say something to you on Instagram

or Google Plus or Facebook or something, Twitter or something,

and if you respond, they go up hook them.

Now, I'm just gonna reel them in, and.

They feel so good because they love getting in a fight.

What do you do in those situations? One Corinthians four thirteen.

Paul says, here's what he does. We respond gently when

evil things are said about us. In other words, we

don't retaliate, We don't get back. You see, if somebody

hurts you, that puts them below you. If you get even,

it puts you even. But if you respond gently, it

actually puts you morally superior to them. And Paul says,

we respond gently even when evil things are said about us.

Titus two eight says this, your conversation should be so sensible,

in other words, it's gentle, it's kind, it's sensitive and

sensible that anyone who wants to argue, in other words,

with you will be ashamed because there won't be anything

to criticize in.

Anything you say.

Did you know that, as your pastor, I am forbidden

by God to get into arguments. There are multiple passages

in a scripture that says a pastor must never argue. Now,

I know a lot of pastors who do, and they

just violate that scripture. But the Bible says a pastor

should never get caught brought into a heated argument or debate,

and says it says, I am commanded by God to

be gentle in every situation. So this is equality I've

had to learn in ministry. Let me show you verse.

It's up there on the screen two Timothy, two twenty five.

This is one of many, it says, and the Lord's servant.

It's talking about pastors. It gives the qualifications for being

a pastor, and it says one of them is the

Lord's servant must never quarrel.

Look at that. I am not allowed to quarrel according

to the Bible.

Instead, he must be kind and gentle with everyone he

agrees with. No, he must be kind and gentle with

everyone in his political party. Now then say that he

must be kind and gentle with everyone who is a Christian.

And then say that it says with everyone. Does that

include other religions? Yes, includes atheists, Yes, people with the

lifestyle I disagree with. Yes, I am to be kind

and gentle with everybody.

I am forbidden to quarrel with anybody.

It says they must be able to teach effectively a pastor,

and they must be patient with difficult people.

That means you. Then it says.

It is those who oppose him. He must gently instruct gently.

There's that word gentle. He must gently instruct in the

hope that God will grant them repentance, leading them to.

Know the truth.

I don't know if you've noticed this or not, but

I get criticized every once in a while, in fact

all the time, and most of it's just total nonsense.

It makes no sense at all. And when I read it,

I go, why would they criticize me for that? That's

not true. I know the stuff they should criticize me.

They should ask me, and then they could criticize the

real things that I'm worthy of criticism about. But I

am not allowed to retaliate in any way. It's why

I never ever ever fight back with critics.

Never. I just don't do it.

Why the Bible says gentleness disarms critics, and so I

constantly ask God for a tough skin and a tender heart.

And that's what you need to do. You need to say, God,

give me a tough skin. So when people say stuff

about me, it just rolls off my back. I don't

let it bother me. But I have a tender heart.

You don't want a tough heart. You want a tender

heart and a tough skin. What's really funny is because

God says blesses God blesses those who are gentle. The

whole earth belongs to them. Some of my biggest critics

have actually become some of my best friends because I

would not retaliate. I only responded in gentleness. Here's a

real important one. Gentleness is persuasive. The Bible says gentleness

is persuasive. Now, this is extremely important if you happen

to make a career in sales.

If you're a.

Salesman, a saleswoman you have to sell a product or

a service, you definitely need to learn gentleness. Why because

the hard sell no longer works. It used to be

the way you got people's attention in the world was

to be the loudest advertisement. And all you had to

do was be loud and fast and hard and strong,

and people go, Okay, I'll buy I'll buy a vacuum cleaner.

You know, okay, i'll buy your computer, I'll buy your car.

None of that works anymore. I mean, you know, there

were these guys used to be on TV to sell cars,

and they talked real loud and real fast. Hi, my

name's Kyl Worthington, and my dogs spot and they start

to go see cow go see cow go see cown.

You need to buy this right now, only ninety nine

ninety five.

And but wait, we'll throw on the gunzo knife. But wait,

and then you know and you're going not a chance.

I'm not going to go see that guy. In fact,

when somebody comes on really hard and really forceful, what's

your automatic reaction?

Back off?

No way am I buying anything from that person today?

The heart selt no longer works. In fact, advertising doesn't

work anymore. What works is gentleness. Let me show you

some verses. Priverers twenty five, verse fifteen says gentle speech

can break down rigid defenses. So you want to convince

your girlfriend, your boyfriend, your husband, your wife, your parents

to do something, not the hard cell.

That's not gonna work.

Gentle speech breaks down rigid defenses. The New Century version

says a gentle word can get through to the hard headed.

And so if you're a parent, screaming at your child

never works, never works. You never discipline in anger, and

you never discipline in frustration. You always discipline in love,

and you do it gently. Because screaming never works. All

it does is create fear and resentment in the person

you're screaming at and they get defensive and they put

it up.

You know, if I want.

To persuade you to live more for Jesus Christ, I

must do it in a gentle way. So I could

stand up here every Sunday evening and say, let me

tell you all the things you're doing wrong.

And what would you do?

You just build emotional bears and forget rip and you

probably stop coming you go. You wouldn't say, hey, let's

go to Saddleback Sunday night and have Rick tell us

what bad people we are.

That doesn't work.

It doesn't work in the pulpit, it doesn't work in

the house, it doesn't work in as a teacher. Nagging

never works. But gentleness is persuasions. A gentle word can

get through to the hard headed. You say it gently.

Look at this verse.

I love it.

In the contemporary English version says patience and gentle talk

can convince a ruler and overcome any problem. That's what

the Bible says. Now leave that verse up there for

a minute. See that word ruler. Let me give you

a little tip on Bible study. Anytime you see the

word ruler in the Bible, you translate it boss. Because

we don't have rulers. Today we're in a democracy. We

don't have kings. We don't have queens, we don't have

lords and ladies and counts and vassals. We don't have

kings and rulers. Nobody rules over you. But everybody has

a boss, and we all have to work under supervision

at different times in our life. So anytime you see

the word ruler or king in the Bible, just translated CEO, boss, manager,

the supervisor over me. Patience and gentle talk can convince

your supervisor and overcome any problem. Why, because gentleness is persuasive.

Look at the next verse. The Bible says in Proverbs

sixteen twenty one, a wise mature person is known for understanding.

The more pleasant his words, the more persuasive he is. Now,

circle the word pleasant, and circle the word persuasive, and

draw a line between them. Because if you want to

be persuasive, if you want to persuade people of your idea,

your product, your service, your faith, or anything else, you

must be pleasant pleasant. The more pleasant is words, more

persuasive is now. This is the mark of maturity. Wise

mature people are pleasant. Fools and idiots are rude. Fools

and idiots are rude. They're crass, they're crude, they're not pleasant,

they're unpleasant, and they speak in rude, crude ways. The

more mature, the more wise you are, the more pleasant,

the more positive your speech is going to be.

If your speech is.

Negative, negative, negative, negative, negative, guess what, you're not that smart,

you're not wise, and you certainly aren't mature. Because the

more wise and mature you are, the more pleasant your

words are.

I want you to write this down.

In fact, you can tweet this one. I'm never persuasive

when I'm abrasive. Write that one now, I tweet it

right now. I'm never persuasive when I'm abrasive. When you

are abrasive in your language, you actually self defeat your

because all the things you want don't happen because you

are being abrasive rather than being persuasive.

Gentleness is persuasive. Number four.

This is a really big one, particularly if you're looking

for a husband or wife.

Number four, Gentleness is attractive.

The Bible says, if you want to be more attractive,

you need to learn to be more gentle in your life. Now,

this is true in both men and in women.

Now.

One of the laws of life is I attract what

I am. I don't attract what I want. I attract

what I am. If you want to attract a godly man,

you have to be a godly woman. If you want

to attract a godly woman, you have to be a

godly man. You can't be some rude dude, crude mood

and say I really want one of those good women.

Now you will attract what you are. And so gentleness

attracts gentleness, and godliness attracts godliness. Now, since we've got

a bunch of singles in this service for some guys,

let me show you this one Timothy six eleven here

on the screen. One Timothy six eleven, as a man

of God. And I want all of you guys to

be men of God. As a man of God, pursue

what God approves of, and then he gives you the

five marks of a godly man. This is Paul talking

to Timothy. He's mentoring his son in the ministry. He says,

pursue what God approves of, and here are the five

things that make a godly man Godliness, faith, love, endurance,

and oh, by the way, gentleness, gentleness. Now he says,

God approves of godliness. What is godliness? It means I'm

trying to let Jesus live through me. I want to

be like God. I want to be like Christ. I

want to be christ Like. That's godliness. And then he says,

another mark of a man of God is faith. I

trust God in every area of my life. Another mark

of a man of God is love. You're loving, You're unselfish.

Another mark of a man of God of endurance. You

don't give up, you don't quit. You have endurance, you

have diligence, you have determination. And then one of the

marks of a man of God is gentleness. Gentle Men

are gentlemen. Gentlemen are gentlemen. The way you become a

gentleman is by being gentle