A follower of The King begins his walk by acknowledging he is spiritually bankrupt and is powerless to address his spiritual condition. He repents from his sinful nature, and he leans on God for hope and direction. When someone empties himself before God, Holy Spirit fill him with character traits of Kingdom people. One of those Godly traits is meekness. Meekness follows repentance.
Meek- Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the meek. The word “meek” is a complicated word. It comes from the Greek word “praus” which means gentle, humble, considerate, and courteous through exercising self-control. Perhaps we better understand what meekness is by exploring what it is not.
Meekness is not passivity. Meek people are not passive or lack drive. We must not confuse gentleness and consideration with passivity.
Meekness is not weakness. Meek people are not wimps or weak people who cannot stand up for themselves. We must not confuse humility with weakness. Rather, meek people come from a place of incredible inner strength.
Meekness is not playing the victim. Meek people never pity themselves or take the posture of a victim. They don’t feel sorry for themselves.
Meekness is “power under control.” Think about the training of a stallion. A stallion is a powerful animal who is out of control when untamed. When the trainer “breaks” the stallion, he is able to put a bridle in the horse’s mouth and lead him wherever he wants to go. The stallion didn’t lose any of its power, rather the trainer simply channeled all that power into a positive outcome. Now the horse can be used for its intended purpose. As Kingdom men and women, we have incredible power. When we submit to God, then God through Jesus’ authority gives us clarity and direction as we allow Holy Spirit to reign in our life; with His leading and guidance, coupled with the Word and prayer. We are powerful people under the direction of our King.
Meek men and women have an accurate view of self. They are comfortable in their own skin. They express this quiet confidence in attitude and conduct toward others. They are strong, confident, and self-aware; therefore, they can walk in humility, gentleness, and consideration toward others. They have the self-control (under the bridle of Holy Spirit) to express this humble strength in their relationships. They can defer their own rights in order to serve another.
Biblical examples:
Abraham– Genesis 13. Abraham was Lot’s uncle. They needed to part ways because each of them needed more space. Abraham allowed Lot to choose the prime real estate, and he took the less desirable land for himself. He could have used his position of authority to be selfish, but he was considerate toward Lot and gave him the choice. That is meekness in action. God blessed Abraham’s faith through giving him great success.
David– 1 Samuel 24. Saul pursued David in order to catch and kill him. Saul stopped in a cave to relieve himself unaware that David was in the cave. David could have killed his enemy but refused to kill Saul because he was the anointed King of Israel. David’s meekness gave him the power to restrain himself from revenge.
Paul– Philippians 4:10-13. A meek man is content because he is surrendered to the leading of Holy Spirit. He is active, but his activity is directed by God. God gives him the strength to accomplish whatever God has directed him to do. Paul displays this quiet strength of meekness when he says, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Meekness is strength under the control of the Spirit.
The meek will inherit the earth
The system of this world believes that those who are most educated, aggressive, wealthy, strong, powerful, self-assured, and organized will inherit the earth. Those are the “rules of battle” and only the strong survive. It is survival of the fittest.
The Kingdom of God turns the world completely right-side up (it’s already upside down). The earth is given to the meek. Those who place their power and will under Holy Spirit, operate under a paradigm that exalts God’s agenda over their own. They display a self-control that allows them to be gentle, considerate, humble, and give deference to others. God turns the table on the world and gives the earth to the meek. How did the Abraham story end? How did the David story end? How will our story end (1 Corinthians 6:2)? God gives the earth to the meek.
Questions for Kingdom people
- How would you describe a meek person?
- What does meekness look like in a follower of Christ in our culture?
- How do we develop meekness?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I am so thankful that You are patient with me as I learn to walk and trust the direction of Holy Spirit, and to produce the fruit of the Spirit in my life. Every day you are faithful to show me another area that I need to change, and as I fellowship with you, my strength is renewed to accomplish that change; which begins in my spirit. It is clear that I cannot change myself without Your power working in me. I know that I need meekness in my life. When I look at myself in the mirror, I choose to see the image you have called me to be and I remind myself that you are working in me to accomplish Your goodwill. Today, I call on the God of Abraham, the God of David, the God of Paul, and my God too. I ask that you continue to help me move up to a higher level of trust and dependence upon You.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen
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Peter Henneberry, EMIC Groups Pastor |
