Scripture: Matthew 5:5
Journal: How do you define the word meek?
Is it a quality you possess?
Where do you see evidence of meekness in your life? In those around you? How will you pursue meekness this day?
Reflection: “Blessed are the meek, for
they will inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5, NIV) Meek has always been a bit of a
slippery word for me. I’ve never been
quite able to get a handle on it. And
yet, here it is, at such a crucial point in Jesus’ teachings, just as he is
highlighting the qualities that most characterize those who live in the kingdom
of God. I don’t know about you, but that
seems pretty significant to me. Oddly
enough, even as significant as it seems, the word is used only three times in the
entire New Testament. Once here in
Matthew 5:5, once in Matthew 21:5 when it describes Jesus coming into Jerusalem
“gentle and riding on a donkey,” and once in 1 Peter 3:4 describing how
God desires a wife’s spirit to possess “the unfading beauty of a gentle
and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”
So exactly what is meekness? Well, maybe the best way to begin is by
talking about what it is not. It is
not aggressive, it is not demanding, and it is not prideful. It is not arrogant, it is not pushy, and it
is not showy. It is not needy, it is not
fearful, and it is not insecure. It is
not rash, it is not harsh, and it is not reactive. It is neither possessive, nor obsessive. It does not seek to impose or impress. It does not try to control or
manipulate. It does not seek its own way
or work its own agenda. It is not
opinionated, not argumentative, and does not need to be right.
But what is meekness? Is it humility? Is it gentleness? Or is it something else altogether? Maybe the reason it’s so hard to define is
that it’s all of those things, and more.
It is a quality of being, a spirit, and an attitude that displays itself
in a peaceful, calm, and contented demeanor.
It is a state of heart and mind. It
is not being full of yourself or thinking too much of yourself. The Greek word for meek is praÿs, which
means mild, humble, and gentleness of spirit.
The dictionary defines the word meek as humbly patient and overly submissive;
gentle and kind. J. B. Phillips says
that the meek are “those who claim nothing.”
And Eugene Peterson says they are those “who are content to be just who
they are—no more, no less.”
Meekness is the quality of
being at home with your true self, comfortable in your own skin. It is an ability to be yourself in a way that
allows others to fully be themselves. It
is the quality of being content and at peace, whole and free. Thus, the meek are described as blessed. And why wouldn’t they be? After all, if you are meek, then there is no
need for jockeying or posturing or performing.
The pressure is off. You are free
to love and to be loved. Free to be
gentle with yourself and with others.
I suppose that’s why the
meek will inherit the earth, because they don’t need it to make them
worthwhile. They have no need to try and
take it by force or by storm. The world
will always resist those who try to take it, but will always be open to
those who gently and kindly and meekly love it and serve it. And that blesses everyone.
Prayer
Closing
Prayer: Lord Jesus, make me meek, like you. Amen.
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