Meekness

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

Just to be clear, meek does not mean weak. Weak means having little power. Meek means having power under control. Big difference. Often, we use the term a “meek and mild disposition” as  descriptive of certain individuals. It is fine to do that, but understand that just because one chooses to be mild in disposition, it does not mean that they are weak, fearful, and ineffective. Indeed, a truly meek person is one to be admired.

Jesus called them ‘blessed”.

In the politically charged culture of today, stridency and anger often seem to be traits that are rewarded and applauded. Even among some Christians, there is a culture of “warrior Christians”. That can be a bit disturbing. For some, it can harken back to the days of the Crusades, where the intention was to convert the “infidel”, or maybe just kill him. Indeed, we are called to stand up for truth, and at the same time we are called to be compassionate and understanding. Seek first to understand, then to be understood.

If we truly believe that we have been given an eternal truth about how God loves us, and that God sent his son Jesus to be an example of sacrificial love, isn’t that truth strong enough to give us the strength to show meekness? We have the strength of the powerful Holy Spirit in us, we need not engage in angry debates with those with whom we disagree.

Power under control- blessed are the meek…

Prayer: Lord, help us to show the meekness that you call “blessed’, Amen