Sacrificial Submission

Scripture Reading: John 21:15-19, Acts 2:14-41

Today's Treasure: "As for me, I am in your hands; do with me whatever you think is good and right" (Jeremiah 26:14).

Do you sometimes "fight" God? If you're not comfortable admitting to an occasional wrestling match with God, do you fight with Him more covertly by demanding amendments or clauses to make His will more bearable? Do you ever lock your arms across your chest and pat your foot, waiting to Him to propose a solution you like better than the one He has already presented?

As God pushes and prods you along, with a mind set on finishing that which He started (see Phil. 1:6), do you grab for every doorknob, tree limb, or mailbox to keep from going His direction? Or, at least His speed? Does He have to fight you practically every step of the way in your maturing process?

If, like me, you can answer yes to any of the above questions, then let's look together at the eighth characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit—gentleness. The Greek word translated gentleness is praotes. Praotes is described as "meekness, mildness, forbearance. Primarily it does not denote outward expression of feeling, but an inward grace of the soul, calmness toward God in particular. It is the acceptance of God's dealings with us considering them as good in that they enhance the closeness of our relationship with Him."*

In layman's terms, praotes describes the complete surrender to God's will and way in your life. The term basically means to stop fighting God. It is quite the opposite of weakness. Meekness or gentleness is the power and strength created from submitting to God's will. Gentleness is responsibility with power.

Praotes describes the resting of resistance to God. It begins with that word we love to hate—submission. I think of the submissive spirit of praotes this way: when the wind of God's will blows, praotes prevails when I let go of every object of security, resist grabbing on to anything that would hold me back, and ride the wind wherever or however it takes me. Praotes is riding the wind of God's will and setting sail toward the remote island of intimacy.

The life and death of Peter paint an incredible portrait of praotes. For him and countless unsung heroes of the faith, to endure pain and suffering in the will of God was far better than to risk ease outside His faithful hands.

In John 21:18, Jesus said to Peter, "I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."  Verse 19 explains, "Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, 'Follow me!' "

The day of Pentecost, coupled with our understanding of praotes and Jesus' prophecy of Peter's fate, reveals the quality of gentleness in the apostle. His submission to Christ gave him great courage to preach to a bewildered, multiethnic crowd that could hear the disciples speaking in their individual foreign tongues. Newly empowered by the Holy Spirit, Peter proclaimed, "God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. ...Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins" (Acts 2:36, 38). Verse 41 tells us "Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day."

In Foxe's Book of Martyrs, John Foxe writes that, according to the ancient historian, Hegesippus:

Nero sought matter against Peter to put him to death; which, when the people perceived, they entreated Peter with much ado that he would flee the city. Peter, through their importunity at length persuaded, prepared himself to avoid. But, coming to the gate, he saw the Lord Christ come to meet him, to Whom he, worshipping, said, "Lord, whither dost Thou go?' To whom He answered and said, "I am come again to be crucified." By this, Peter, perceiving his suffering to be understood, returned back into the city. Jerome saith that he was crucified, his head being down and his feet upward, himself so requiring, because he was (he said) unworthy to be crucified after the same form and manner as the Lord was.*

That, my Friend, is praotes.

Oh, Father, forgive me for dragging my heels in the sand on the way to Your will. My own will is so aggressive, but I want to be softened and conformed to Yours. Please saturate my life with gentleness through Your Holy Spirit. I ask for that inward grace of the soul and calmness toward You. Please strengthen me through submission. Do such a work in my heart that I would follow you even to my own cross without reservation. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

*Spiros Zodhiates et al., eds., The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1992), 1208.

*John Foxe, Foxe's Book of Martyrs (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1995), 12-13.

Adapted from Living Beyond Yourself, by Beth Moore, pages 168-169. Nashville: LifeWay Press, 1998. Used by permission.