Meekness

This word study was first published in the Standard Bearer and was written by Rev. J. Smidstra, pastor of First PRC, Holland, Mi

Meekness

Meekness. It’s a quality that the world disdainfully considers weakness. Sadly, a similar disdain for it can crop up in the church too, if meekness is looked at with a carnal eye rather than the eye of faith. The meek, the flesh says, are pushovers, doormats, wobbly-kneed, double-minded compromisers. The meek, Christ says, are blessed, for they shall inherit the earth (Matt. 5:5). And the Bible says more: the meek “shall eat and be satisfied” (Ps. 22:26). “The meek” God will “guide in judgment” and “teach his way” (Ps. 25:9). Jehovah arises “to save all the meek of the earth” (Ps. 76:9). His anger burns against transgressors who “turn aside the way of the meek.” Jehovah “lifteth up the meek: He casteth the wicked down to the ground” (Ps. 147:6). The Lord “will beautify the meek with salvation” (Ps. 149:4), and the meek “shall increase their joy in the Lord” (Is. 29:19).

What is this meekness in which our God evidently delights? The Bible connects meekness with humility, gentleness. Paul exhorts the Ephesians to loving forbearance, “with all lowliness and meekness” (Eph. 4:2). Paul beseeches the Corinthians “by the meekness and gentleness of Christ” (II Cor. 10:1). Meekness can be described as a spiritual-minded gentleness and mildness that flows from deep humility before God. The humble man knows God. And He knows himself in relation to God. “I am the chief of sinners” he says, “and a creature of dust besides.” The humble man lowers himself beneath the lofty God and His almighty hand. He knows his unworthiness of any blessing of God apart from Christ. He esteems himself beneath his neighbor too, and conducts himself accordingly.

Moses, Numbers 12:3 tells us, “was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.” Yet meeker than Moses is our Lord Jesus Christ. He embodied meekness perfectly. He is the King, yet He came “meek, and sitting upon an ass” (Matt. 21:5). The Lord of glory took upon Himself the form of a servant. He humbled Himself to the death of the cross (Phil. 2:7-8). Jesus’ incarnation, Jesus’ self-giving labor as the sin-bearing suffering Servant of Jehovah, is the supreme demonstration of humility and meekness. The meek Savior calls, “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” (Matt. 11:28-29). What comfort the meekness of our Lord gives us! He is not harsh, but gentle. He is not hard, but compassionate towards us. His meekness gives us rest.

It is Christ’s will that we be meek as He is. “Seek meekness” (Zeph. 2:3). “Put on…bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering” (Col. 3:12). “Be gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men” (Tit. 3:2). Meekness is a fruit of the Spirit of Christ (Gal. 5:23), planted and cultivated in the heart by grace, and made to blossom in every area of the believ-er’s sanctified life. Far from being weakness, meekness is inner strength. True wisdom shows itself in meekness (James. 3:13). Meekness shows itself in receiving and submitting to the Word of God (James. 1:21).

Meekness in action is the opposite of pride. The proud are haughty and harsh, looking down on the neighbor; the meek are gentle and mild, esteeming others better than themselves (Phil. 2:3). The proud have contempt for the weak and the lost; the meek are eager to give an answer to all who ask a reason for their hope (I Pet. 3:15). The proud expect to be served; the meek bend down to serve, just as their Master did (John 13:14). The proud coddle their egos and heed no rebuke; the meek hear rebuke with grace and return no evil in kind. The proud admit no wrong; the meek humbly confess their sins to God and one another. The proud grab their fellow debtors by the throat, “Pay me that thou owest” (Matt. 18:28)! But the meek forgive from a grateful heart, knowing they have been forgiven much. Pride sanctimoniously masks itself as zeal for the truth, and self-righteousness as zeal for holiness; but meekness refuses to wear any mask. In lowliness of mind, before God and men, the meek confess, “I am only a sinner saved by grace in Christ.” Meekness lacks the bombast that impresses men. But meekness is truly Christ-like.

No surprise, then, that for officebearers, representatives of Christ, meekness is indispensable. Paul instructs the young pastor Timothy that “the servant of the Lord must not strive.” Rather, in all his labor among the sheep, he must be “gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves” (II Tim. 2:24-25). When fighting the good fight of faith, the believer must not fight like the world. When contending for the faith, the soldier of Christ must still “show all meekness to all men.” “Folly!” men will say. But that is part of the wonder of the cross!

Through meekness the Captain of our salvation conquered the foe! When He was reviled, He reviled not again (I Pet. 2:23). He yielded Himself to the death of the cross. In this glorious meekness He brought to bear the mightiest power. In dying He said, “It is finished.” Meekly bowing His head, giving up the ghost, commending His spirit, He accomplished our salvation. So that we, His beloved, the meek—made so by grace— “shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace” (Ps. 37:11).