MEEKNESS: YOUR POWER UNDER GOD’S CONTROL

“But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.” Psalms 37:11

The word meek does not have a positive connotation in our culture. It suggests many things, none of which are appealing. If you tell someone you think he/she is meek, he/she will probably not take it as a compliment. In fact, he will probably think you are implying something negative about his/her character.

A quick check of the thesaurus bears this out. Here are some listed synonyms for “meek”: humble, docile, mild, calm, gentle, peaceful, tame, submissive, soft, spineless, passive, and broken. Some of those words are positive; others are not. Another source lists the following phrases as illustrative of meekness: “to eat dirt”, “to lick the dust”, “to cringe like a dog”, “to take it on the chin”.

That graphically illustrates the problem. Just try sticking some of those words and phrases in the third beatitude (Matthew 5:5) and see what you get:

“Blessed are the spineless, for they will inherit the earth.” It doesn't sound right, does it?

Or how about, “Blessed are those who cringe like a dog.” It’s hard to imagine Jesus (or anyone else) saying that.

It’s no wonder that we don’t want to be called meek. I wouldn't either, if that’s what the word really means. None of us likes to be bullied. We’d all rather be loved. We tend to value tough, strong, assertive leaders.

The biblical concept of meekness means having your power under God’s control. Once a preacher was asked during a radio interview to explain meekness as it applies to being a Christian man in today’s world. It appeared that it was not the first time he’s been asked that question. He said, “I think many men would not feel complimented if someone called them “meek”. Yet the interviewer pointed out that Jesus used that very word to describe Himself in Matthew 11:29 (KJV). It seems to the preacher that if Jesus felt comfortable calling Himself “meek” (or “gentle” in some translations, including the NIV), we shouldn't have a big problem with it.

And after all, Jesus was no pushover. The same Jesus who embraced the children also took a whip and cleansed out the temple. Say what you will about it, but don’t call Him sissy. When He confronted sin, He was gentle like a tornado is gentle. But when the moment called for it, He could be tender and forgiving.

Gentleness is not weakness. It is our power under God’s control. It is the ability to give ourselves to help the hurting while at the same time confronting evil whenever necessary. That’s tough combination, but our Lord pulled it off without a hitch!