We tend to think of meekness as being soft-spoken, passive, or gentle. Often if someone is strong and bold, we wouldn’t also categorize them as meek. Meekness is not a characteristic of leader for most of us. However, Jesus was meek. He tells us “blessed are the meek”. How can you be strong and meek? Gentle and yet lead? Meekness really has to do with character more than it does about personality. It is more about humility than passivity. Meekness has to do with seeing yourself for who you truly are, and seeing God for who He truly is.
Kevin DeYoung, an author and pastor, wrote about meekness at The Gospel Coalition Blog last week. Here’s his insight on meekness:
Meekness is hard to define. It is not a subservient groveling. It is not a spineless acquiescence. The Greeks had no respect for meekness because they equated it with servility–people taking advantage of you, people walking all over you, people punching you in the gut as you thank them for the pleasure of being hit, that sort of thing.
But that’s not what the Bible means by meekness.
Meekness is a combination of patience, gentleness, and a complete submission to the will of God. Meekness is learning to be self-controlled instead of needing to be in control. Meekness is opening your heart instead of clenching your fist. Meekness is the firm resolve that it is always better to suffer than to sin.
Meekness is one of the great virtues of the Christian (Col. 3:12). The world may have no place for it, but the Bible does.
Moses was the meekest man on the earth (Number 12:3). And if you know anything about Moses, you know he wasn’t born with a meek personality. He killed somebody! We are not talking about a personality trait. You can be soft or loud, introverted or extroverted and still have meekness. Moses had to have meekness pressed into him by life and by the Lord.
Or think of Paul. There were big time issues in Corinth, and Paul wasn’t afraid to talk tough. But his first approach was to plead with the saints by the meekness and gentleness of Christ (2 Cor. 10:1).
If you think meekness is for losers, then you think Jesus is a loser. The Son of Man was a meek man (Matt. 11:29). Of course, that’s not the only thing to say about Jesus, but it’s one thing we can say.
When you are confronted, when you are wronged, when you get all hot and bothered and you’re tightening up inside, what does meekness look like? When you come after your adversaries is it with a whip or with a weep? Who’s sins upset you more, the sins of your neighbors or your own? Meekness is not about being a doormat. It’s about being dignified, even in the face of confusion, anxiety, and injustice.
Blessed are the meek, for they–of all people!–shall inherit the whole wide world (Matt. 5:5).
1. Write out the definition for meek.
2. How does the correct definition of meek compare to what you may have thought beforehand?
3. Would you have considered meekness a value or a virtue prior to reading this? Why or why not?
Melissa Danisi 
I think God just gave me a lightbulb moment. To be meek is to know unwavering who I am in relation to the One who made me and the world I inhabit and to live accordingly. To live with Dignity (because I am made by God …in His image) and to live in Humility (because I am made by God…in His image) is Meekness. When I type it out it’s like “duh!” But in my heart it is a revelation!
Yes Katie, that is so good! These first few beatitudes, when we understand the meaning behind these words, change everything! You’re so right, being meek means understanding who you are in relation to who God is. Thanks for sharing!