Diberkatilah Mereka Yang Lemah Lembut

Ada suatu trend yang terjadi ditengah-tengah budaya kita saat ini dimana banyak orang senang untuk bergaya ‘bad boys’, sangar, cool and tough, dingin, dan sombong.

Kenapa? karena ingin keren seperti di film-film action. So, thanks to some Hollywood producers, lakon/ jagoan dalam suatu film biasanya bergaya seperti itu and bad boys menang pada akhirnya.

Bagaimana di real life?...ternyata sangat berbeda. Sebagai orang Kristiani, bagaimana sikap kita seharusnya? Apakah kita harus bergaya sangar, sombong, dingin, dan nakal? Mari kita simak kotbah Yesus diatas bukit, the beatitudes atau ucapan bahagia. Matius 5:5 mengatakan “Berbahagialah orang yang lemah lembut, karena mereka akan memiliki bumi.” Ternyata justru orang yang lemah lembut yang menang dan mereka akan menguasai bumi. Kenapa? karena orang lemah lembut tidak gampang terbakar oleh amarah. Orang yang dikuasai amarah, akan banyak kesalahan dalam hidupnya. Banyak kesalahan=kekalahan.

Dalam terjemahan bahasa inggrisnya, lemah lembut=meekness. Orang suka pikir bahwa meekness=weakness. Tapi justru sebaliknya, meekness=strength atau kekuatan. Memang etymology/asal usul kata meekness suka dikaitkan dengan arti kekuatan yang terkontrol/ harnessed strength. Terjemahan lemah lembut diambil dari bahasa Greek “Prautes”¹ yang artinya “tidak gampang terpancing/ not easily provoked”. Prautes ini adalah derivative dari kata “Praus” yang menggambarkan seekor kuda yang tenang dan sudah terlatih. Kuda yang terlatih sangat gampang ditunggangi atau menerima beban. Dia tidak lagi meronta-ronta atau kabur dengan liar. Jadi Praus itu menggambarkan kuda sebagai binatang yang kuat, tapi sudah terlatih dan sudah mudah diarahkan.

Ok…sekarang apa hubungannya sampai bawa-bawa kuda segala? Hubungannya adalah orang yang lembah lembut/meek itu juga seperti demikian. Kalo ada beban atau ada yang “menunggangnginya”, dia tidak cepat marah dan emosi. Tapi hatinya sangat mudah diarahkan oleh Roh Kudus untuk berbuat yang benar dan bijaksana. Dia seperti kuda terlatih yang kalem, Roh Kudus sangat mudah menuntunnya untuk membuat keputusan-keputusan yang baik dan bijaksana sehingga membawa terus keberhasilan dalam hidupnya and menghindari pertengkaran-pertengkaran yang tidak perlu yang biasanya selalu membuat situasi semakin buruk.

Ada nasihat yang bagus dari St. Frances de Sales, “jangan berikan kesempatan untuk amarah, karena sedikit saja ada kesempatan, dia akan menjadi tuan atas kamu”

Tirulah Yesus, dia berkata “ Aku lemah lembut dan rendah hati…” Mat 11:29

Jadi orang lemah lembut itu banyak untungnya dan pasti diberkati Tuhan untuk menguasai bumi.

By Ernest Basarah

Reference:

1. Blessed Are The Meek, Leon Suprenant. Lay Witness Magazine March/April 2007. pp. 6

Blessed Are The Meek

Blessed are The Meek

There is a trend in our society in which people like to pose as if they are‘bad boys’, cool, tough, mean and and arrogant. Why? Because the main stream movies and shows on TV potray this kind of act. Forget about Mr. Nice Guy, that is so 20 years ago. If you haven't noticed, just turn on the TV and see it for your self.  Consequently, some viewers are doing exactly like that; copying what they see on TV and applying it in real life; Posing like tough-guys and their implicit message; Don't mess around with me or else!  I sincerely sympathize with people who need to act like this, especially, teens at school.  It is like a survival mode for them otherwise they get bullied.  That is our world, you look weak and nice then people take advantage on you and disrespect you.   Is there any other way to avoid being a prey to others? Fortunately, yes there is, and we can learn it from our true hero, Jesus Christ! He said, learn from me because I am meek and humble!

How are we supposed to act as a Christian? Are we suppose to act tough, arrogant, and mean? Let’s pay attention to what Jesus has said when he was preaching on top of the hill; it is said in Matthew 5:5: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Indeed! the ones who are meek will win and rule over the earth.  How come? Because those who are meek are strong! Some people think that meekness = weakness, but actually meekness = strength. The etymology of the word “meekness” often relates to controlled strength or harnessed strength. Meekness in Greek is “Prautes”, which means “not easily provoked.” Prautes is a derived from the word “Praus”, which means more like a horse that has been tamed and trained. So, Praus depicts a horse, that is a strong animal, but his strength has been harnessed/trained and easily controlled. What is the relation between “meekness” and the horse ? The relationship here is that someone who is meek will act as a tamed horse does. When there is a trial or someone provokes him, he is not easily angered, but instead his heart is easily guided by the gentle Holy Spirit to do what is right and wise. He is like a trained horse who is calm and the Holy Spirit guides him to make the right decision at that moment. He is strong but yet gentle.  He can win the fist fight but choose not to do so, instead, he uses his strength to quench the anger of the opponent.  He is nice and yet full of authority, charismatic, and influential.  With these values, you will easily gain respect from others, hence, less chance of being bullied or taken advantage of.  You don't need to act like someone else or someone on TV, just be yourself, be meek and humble! A good advice from St. Frances de Sales, “do not give a chance to anger, because just a little of chance will make it takes control over you.”Be more like Jesus as He said “…for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” -Matthew 11:29.   There is a strength in meekness, and only the strong will inherit the earth!