Meek Does Not Mean Weak

“Blessed are the meek,

for they shall inherit the earth.”

Matthew 5:5

What do you think of when you hear the word meek?

It would seem in today’s society if you are considered meek then you are thought to be weak as well.

What do you think? Do you think that if you are meek that means you have to be weak or powerless?

In our world today meekness seems to have been replaced with hostility. People push for their voices to be heard; they want their beliefs to be recognized as the truth.

In the world’s eyes it seems that if you are meek then you will be left behind and trampled over. But what does God’s Word tell us?

Jesus taught His disciples that the meek will inherit the earth.

I believe that still applies to us today. I believe if it was important enough for Jesus to teach to the disciples then it is just as important for us to remember and practice today.

 If meek does not mean weak, then what does it mean?

I believe to be meek means to be gentle, to know when to be quiet, and to know how to speak with wisdom and authority when needed. I believe that meekness means knowing how to get your point across without being hostile. To be meek means to realize that your power does not come from yourself, but is God-given. When we are meek we realize that God is in control and therefore we do not have to make hostile demands. We can, therefore, stand firm on the promises of God.

Some of the most influential men I know are also the most meek men. I am sure you have people like this in your life as well. I know some men who are very quiet and do not draw a lot of attention to themselves, but when they do speak, they do so with much wisdom and knowledge. I believe this is because they have learned what it means to be meek. They do not have to draw extra attention to themselves; they do not have to cause a scene. They know how and when to speak up and make their voices heard.

I have to admit that I do not always have a meek spirit.  I have to work daily to be gentle with my words. I am learning what Proverbs 15:1 means when it tells us, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” I want to teach my children what it means to be meek, and not harsh. I can not teach this to them if I do not practice it myself.

  My husband has been a wonderful example of meekness in my life. He always seems to know just how to get his point across without raising his voice or drawing attention to himself. He does not push his way into the middle of a crowd, but comes in quietly and just listens to what is going on around him. When he feels that a matter is important enough to comment on, he does so with much wisdom. He is the one in our family who can always seem to make our children mind with just a quiet look, or a single word. I thank God that He has brought such a good man into my life. I pray that I can continue to learn from his example to our family.

Do you have a meek spirit, or do you find yourself lacking in this area? If in reading this today, you find that you need to work on being meek, I pray that you will allow God to help you in this area of your life. If you have always thought of meekness as weakness, I pray that this discussion today has helped you to see the difference. I believe that God wants us to have meek spirits, else he would not have made it a point to teach about it.

Let us as Christians learn how to be meek in our actions as well as our words. Let us learn to stand up for what we believe, with a meek spirit, trusting that God is in control.