True Strength is Found in Meekness

This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me 

I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified.'   

So Aaron held his peace.  

Leviticus 10:3

Meekness is the fruit of God by His Spirit working in us. Godly sorrow softens our stiff-necked rebellion and our hearts so that we are made receptive to the workings of the Creator to produce His image in us. Therefore meekness also includes our becoming pliable, malleable, submissive and teachable. A New Testament term for this condition might be "childlike."

Meekness is the by-product of a number of elements, not the least of which are deep, thorough humility and an awareness of the seriousness of what our past conduct produced; especially toward Jesus Christ. These things have tamed the beast, broken our self-will and made our minds receptive to the pure influences of God's Spirit. This is not natural but supernatural; the product of God's grace toward us and His Spirit working and growing in us. It very deeply, sometimes radically, alters our perspective of God, His purpose, the trials of life, the self and other people.

This is very important regarding trials because meekness is the opposite of self-will toward God and of ill-will toward men. 

"The meek are those who 
quietly submit themselves to God, 

to his word and to his rod, 

who follow His directions, 

and comply with His designs, 

and are gentle towards all men" 

(Matthew Henry)

God disciplines everyone He loves 

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  Hebrews 12:6

and sometimes the disciplines are very difficult to bear. We have passionate drives within us to flee from them, or at the very least, to grumble and murmur under their burden. But the meek will not do this. They will endure the privation, embarrassment, pain, loss, ignorance or persecution with quiet patience because they know that God is sovereign over all and He is working in their lives.

Aaron's response to God's execution of his two sons is an example.  

Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified.'" So Aaron held his peace.  Leviticus 10:1-3

This was a shocking, bitter pill to swallow, but Aaron took it properly, meekly. He was growing. David refers to a difficult situation he was experiencing, leaving us this example: 

"I was mute, I did not open my mouth, because it was You who did it."   Psalm 39:9

The supreme example of this is Jesus Christ, who endured horrific trials though He was the Son of God's love. 

"Then Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?'"   John 18:11

 Consider this insight on Christ's meek reaction: 

"He was led [not dragged] as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so He opened not His mouth."   (Acts 8:32)

Jesus was the very King of meekness.

Meekness enables a person to bear patiently those insults and injuries he receives at the hand of others. It makes him ready to accept instruction from the least of the saints. It allows him to endure provocation without being inflamed by it. He remains cool when others become heated. Meek people seek no private revenge; they leave that to God's sense of justice while they seek to remain true in their calling and meet God's standards.

The spirit of meekness enables its possessor to squeeze great enjoyment from his earthly portion; be it small or great. Delivered from a greedy and grasping disposition, he is satisfied with what he has. Contentment of mind is one of the fruits of meekness. The haughty and covetous do not inherit the earth. 

"A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked."   Psalm 37:16

This much misunderstood and maligned virtue is the antidote for most of the nervous anxiety that is greatly intensifying the normal day-to-day stresses of life. God commands us to: 

Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger.  Zephaniah 2:3
The meek shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek Him will praise the Lord. Let your heart live forever!   Psalm 22:26

Further, 

"The Lord lifts up the meek; He casts the wicked down to the ground"  Psalm 147:6

And finally:

The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel"   Isaiah 29:19

This is not a virtue to ignore because carnal men consider it weakness. It may appear to them as weakness, but the spiritual reality is that it is great strength, an attribute of Almighty God and a fruit of His Spirit we greatly need.

Meekness is rooted in God, and therefore we must pursue it. Because it is a quality of God's character, we must exert effort to make it part of our character. Although we may be experiencing adversity, as the meek we should still appreciate God's good and gracious will.

The truly righteous are meek and receptive to the Word of God. God says that He will guide the patient of those who have been wronged and will decide fairly for them.

The Holy Spirit enables us to produce meekness, a necessary attitude for understanding God's Word. An added benefit to the meek is that God promises them the enjoyment of peace. A meek and quiet spirit is so very precious to God that He rewards the meek with inheritance of the earth.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.  Matthew 5:6

Jesus shows us that meekness is not a mere contemplative virtue; it is maintaining peace and patience in the midst of pelting provocations. In Apostle Paul's letter to the Corinthians, he realizes that the meek and gentle approach can easily appear as weakness to those unfamiliar with Jesus' example, so he calls it "the meekness . . . of Christ." True meekness is always measured by Christ's meekness. His humility, patience and total submission of His own will to the will of the Father exemplifies meekness.

Good conduct is not meekness, but we should show the attitude of meekness in good conduct, that is, in righteousness. Works done in righteousness are done with an attitude of meekness. Synonyms for meek are "gentle," "humble," "poor" and "lowly."

We should have a meek attitude to all others regardless of our relationship with them. Even when someone is antagonistic, meek correction and teaching will assist God in leading them to repentance. For meekness, the NKJV bible uses "gentleness" in Galatians and "humility" in 2 Timothy and Titus. Both of these are qualities of meekness. Meekness is the opposite of self-assertiveness and self-interest. It is evenness of mind—neither elated nor cast down—because a truly meek person is not occupied with self at all.

The focus of true meekness is not in our outward behavior only or in our relationships to other human beings. Neither is the focus on our natural disposition. Rather, it is an inwardly developed tender-heartedness, and the performing of it is first and chiefly toward God. It is the attitude in which we accept God's will toward us as good, and thus without disputing or resisting.

Since true meekness is before God, we realize He permits or allows the insults and injuries that the world or even others in the church may inflict upon us to be used for our chastening and purification.

Be encouraged in Jesus in all that you go through!




(Biblical Studies)






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