Many years ago I read a book about horse trainer Monty Roberts, The Man Who Listens to Horses. Working with animals at the time, his approach fascinated me.

Often a very stressful endeavor for both horse and human, Roberts “listened” to horses by observing their body language, applying natural, and postural communicative pressure; in effect, speaking their herd language, and quickly accomplishing what often took many hours and days: introducing bridal, saddle, and rider to a horse.

Humility.

In Numbers 12:3, in this week’s Torah reading, the Lord testifies regarding Moses, when accused by Miriam and Aaron:

Numbers 12:3:

וְהָאִ֥ישׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה ענו מְאֹ֑ד מִכֹּל֙ הָֽאָדָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה

“And the man Moses was very humble, above all men that are on the face of the earth.”

Translated “humble,” עָנָו/anav, in this context, means to “bow down,” not in a sense of forced submission or subjection, but the bringing of will and strength into alignment with the greater will, that of the Shepherd.

If we were to apply our ideas of humility to Moses, we may wonder what the Lord is seeing that we are not?

Moses was a man of great strength, and mental acuity. He led Israel. He instructed Israel. He rebuked Israel. Yet, all his faculties, in their fullness and without diminishment, were strengths under control by the will of the Lord; and in that way Moses served Israel.

Going Deeper.

In Matthew 5:5, Messiah Yeshua/Jesus taught:

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5; cf. Prov. 37:11).

The Greek translated above as “meek,” πραΰς/praus, can be rendered as either humble or meek, which for many suggests a weakened, gentle or timid disposition. The text, however, may be taking us in a different direction.

The root of πραΰς/praus, means strength under control. In Ancient Greek literature it first appears in a book about taming horses, specifically for war. The horse, full of vigor and power, was taught to be meek, receptive to direction, and obedient to that direction; a taming and refining of its wild disposition.

Meekness is not necessarily to be gentle or reserved in temperament; rather, it is the harnessing of strength, in every respect, in a controlled manner in alignment with the will of God, preparing one to be used by Him.

To be meek, or humble in the manner described above is to recognize limitations, authority, the value of others, and tending to the prudent and necessary, albeit uncomfortable action.

It takes strength to be a humble servant, as paradoxical as that may seem; strength, not arrogance or self-assertiveness.

Taught in meekness by the working of the Holy Spirit, Messiah says the meek will have a portion in the earth, which is to say that they are sharing in the original purpose of man – tending the Father’s creation, now in faithfulness (Gen. 2:15).

Meekness is not weakness, as they say; it is strength controlled under the direction of the Father’s will, as He speaks to us, and draws us, from our uncontrollable wildness, to Himself, then prepared and sent out to a wild world.

“And whatever you do, do it heartily (with the vigor of life) as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:23-24).

Be well. Shalom.

When I hike in the mountains, over many miles of rough, rocky terrain, I wear either hiking boots or trail runners that are up to the challenge. They are expensive, but they are designed for heavy duty, no mercy use in the backcountry.

In Deuteronomy 33:25, as Moses blesses the children of Israel for the final time before sending them on the way, he blesses them with some unusual words:

“Your sandals shall be iron and bronze; as your days, so shall your strength be.”

What is the message here?

Moses, in the most poetic way, is preparing them for the tough trip that lay ahead of them. It will not be easy, it will not get easy, but their shoes will last; and as hard, uncomfortable, and unyielding as these sandals of “iron and bronze” may be, for the journey ahead, they provide exactly what is needed.

The journey in faith is not easy.

All too often, the messianic life is depicted as easy, pleasant, lacking challenge; but, it’s not, never has been, and never will be. If it’s easy, check your shoes: are they the more comfortable and preferred house slippers? or, “sandals of iron and bronze?”

Still, Moses attached a promise for the hard journey ahead, “as your days, so shall your strength be.”

As exhausting as the day is, the Lord promises to provide His strength in direct proportion to the need of the day. You will have strength to make it to the resting place for that day, you will not run out.

Slippers would be nicer, speaking to the pleasantness of the walk; but we are on the way in faith, through tough country, and need hard shoes for hard ground.

As we look to the apostles, they all traveled this way, and wore the same shoes. Thankfully, we are assured of our final destination, and in that assurance, we recognize that we are not on this journey for ourselves, but for those who are in the most brutal of lands, injured, and without hope, waiting for us to run to them, in iron and bronze shoes, to deliver good news.

Be well. Shalom.

The colloquial expression, “the straw that broke the camels back,” lacks the power of, “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us” (II Cor. 1:20).

An expression of exasperation might feel good in the moment of pressing, but the promises of God have power (Phil. 4:13).

Trust the promises of God, He stands behind every one.

Be well. Shalom.