Episode 26 - Fruit of the Spirit Ep. 7: Meekness is not Weakness
We are nearing the end of our time in Galatians 5:22, 23 studying the Fruit of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance, against such there is now law.”The definition of meekness defined by Regent University, “Meekness is essentially an attitude of quality of heart whereby a person is willing to accept and submit without resistance to the will and desire of someone else. In the case of Christians, this is God.” Crosswalk.com says “meek is not so much an attitude toward people, but rather a disposition before God, namely, humility. It’s not something we can earn by what we do but, rather, what happens when we let go and turn our lives over to God.” A simple definition of what it means to be meek is gentle, humble in spirit; mild-mannered and even tempered.
A counter-cultural statement for us to remember is “meekness is not weakness.” Prov. 16:32 says that “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.”
A.W. Tozer says “The meek man is not a human mouse afflicted with a sense of his own inferiority. Rather he may be, in his moral life, as bold as a lion and as strong as Samson; but he has stopped being fooled about himself. He has accepted God’s estimate of his own life. He knows he is as weak and helpless as God has declared him to be, but paradoxically, he knows at the same time that he is in the sight of God of more importance than angels. In himself, nothing; in God, everything.” Meekness is humility before God, knowing that we are only what we are because God has allowed it. But it doesn’t mean that we live a passive life letting people walk all over us.
The Bible calls Moses the meekest man in Numbers 12:3 and we discuss examples of how Moses demonstrated meekness.
We also have an example of meekness in Jesus. In Matthew 11: 28-30, Jesus says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Philippians 2:5-8 describes this humbleness of Jesus so well. It says “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
What is the purpose?
The purpose is that we are called to live like Jesus, which will demonstrate meekness and if we are living with meekness that will let the world know that we identify with Him because it’s going to look so different than what the world sees today. In a world where those who scream the loudest get heard the most, meekness will stand out and it’s how the world will see something different in us.
Matthew 5; Psalm 37:11
What is the challenge?
Ephesians 4:1-3; 1 Peter 3:15
My challenge to you today is to be so confident in the teachings of God’s Word that you don’t have to be arrogant, you don't have to be the loudest, you can lead with patience and love in knowing that others may not be as far along in their faith journey as you. So humble yourself, serve those that are the hardest to serve with meekness but be prepared to give them an answer of the hope that we have that only comes through Jesus.
