day no. 14,789: remote control

My friend, Josiah Blansett, sent me this podcast on "Raising Dangerous Sons" from the 

Dads Building Teams podcast. Link HERE.

I had several take aways from this podcast. The most influential was this quote...

"A people which takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never 

achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants." 

- Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay

A people who does not honor their father and mother will not living a long life in the land 

temporally and will soon be forgotten existentially.

Those who refuse to acknowledge their ancestors will produce the kind of culture that does not 

allow their descendants to acknowledge theirs.

Additionally, the kind of people who cannot see the noble achievements of their ancestors are 

the kind of people who do not apply themselves at noble causes.

The key to being remembered is remembering. When you value your past, you infuse your 

present with purpose. When you do your best to acknowledge the achievements upon which 

you stand, you leave your mark on the stability of that foundation and produce the kind of 

posterity that recognize noble works by applying themselves to them in their present and 

acknowledging their presence in the past.

Another take away from this podcast was the discussion on raising dangerous sons. Meekness

as often defined by us is not dangerous. It is the last thing you'd associate with danger. A meek 

person is one you don't have to worry about. A meek person is not going to break anything. But 

what Jesus means when He says that, "the meek shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5) is that 

those whose strength is under control will inherit the earth. It's the image of someone who has 

taken the time to develop skill and strength at wielding a sword and yet has the discipline and

self control to keep it sheathed unless its use it necessary. It is the image of a muscle trained and 

disciplined to be powerful and ready at a moment's notice, but held still, waiting, resting until it 

is called upon to fire. It is a horse, strong and under control, whose strength is ready at a kick 

of the spur to be put into immediate action and whose ferocity is at a pull of the reign ready to

stop. Strength under control can start and stop at the immediate command of its authority. It is 

strength under control. That is meekness and that is what Jesus means when He says that 

the meek shall inherit the earth. He isn't implying the meekest is the weakest. He is charging 

His followers to be as strong as they possibly can be and to be under control waiting and working

where He alone directs. Meekness requires strength. If you are not strong, you are not meek. 

You cannot have strength under control without strength. What many call meekness is really 

just weakness. It isn't under control, it is powerless. It cannot fire when called upon. It cannot 
do anything. That is not meekness. That is laziness, cowardice, defiance. To not be ready when

called upon is sin. Jesus made the point of readiness often and emphatically. We are called to be

ready, which requires us to be strong... and waiting - which is the very essence of meekness.

The Greek word translated "meek" in Matthew 5:5 is "praus" (see below)



This is a military term referring to a regiment, trained and poised for battle, but marching in line 

and maintaining formation, prepared to fight, but not yet fighting. It is the word for being 

disciplined in warfare, tested by training and proven battle ready. We are called to be ready.

We are called to be what Jesus called, "meek," not what we have assumed meekness to mean.

As Oswald Chamber reminds us, "unguarded strength is double weakness." To only be strong, 

but not under control is to be double weak. You are strong and directionless. You have no 

ability to stop yourself once you start or start yourself if you are enjoying the stopping. That is

not meekness. That is strength outside of control. That is no use to anyone and is the wrong

kind of dangerous. It is the kind of danger that the weak are trying to avoid. The weak do not 

want to contend with strong people who could so easily overpower them. There is good reason

to want to avoid this kind of strength, but the solution is not to remove strength altogether. The

solution is to be strong and under control. This is the kind of dangerous son the world needs and

God requires. These are those who inherit the kingdom and lead many others into His glory.

"People who take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve 

anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants." - T.B. Macaulay

"People will not look forward to posterity, who never look backward to their ancestors."

- Edmund Burke