Daily Dwelling

Matthew 5:5 says, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

The modern day definition of the word “meek” does not align with the biblical definition that is used throughout the Bible. In fact, one of the words that is often used to describe meekness in our culture today is the word weak. Oxford defines it as quiet, gentle, and easily imposed upon. When we look into the Greek word used in Matthew 5, which is praus, we see that the biblical definition is actually the gracious refusal to partake in the desires of the flesh and instead commit to trusting the Lord to vindicate on our behalf. Jesus was meek, not weak. He was not easily imposed upon or cowardly, but was instead under the control of God the Father. He was humble enough to deny his flesh and walk in obedience to what God was calling him to do or say.

How would embodying meekness impact who you are?

First and foremost, I think meekness would allow our tongue to be more controlled and tamed. One of my favorite books of the bible is James. In it, he talks about how our tongue can be like fire. Our words can destroy if not confined within the reigns of the Lord. Just like a fire can ruin everything in its path if not kept contained. David prayed in Psalm 19:14. He said, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.” We should want what David desired and learn to be meek in our words, responses and tone.

Another thing we would probably learn is the power of silence. Instead of feeling a sudden urge to defend ourselves when attacked, we resist the temptation. We do not speak harmful words when misunderstood. We choose to stay silent. In the midst of conflict, we almost always say things that are not true and slander the other party involved. What help is that? What purpose does that have? When we speak from pride we give into the flesh and cause more harm to the conflict. I think meekness sometimes looks like silence.

How would developing meekness impact our marriage? Our relationships with our children? Our friendships?

Meekness is an incredible attribute of Jesus and meekness is rooted in love. We know from scripture that God is love. We shouldn’t be choosing to be silent or holding our tongue to be seen as the better person. Everything we do as followers of Christ should first be rooted in our love for God and love for others. If we aim to imitate the Son of God, we must believe that meekness is a strength. Meekness requires much more self-control. This self-control is only accessible from the Holy Spirit. It is harder than allowing our pride to come through and “get the last word in.” It is harder than saying what our flesh wants us to say. Even more than us trying too hard to become meek, let’s sit at the feet of Jesus. Learn from Him. Read the gospels and see how he modeled meekness in his ministry. Lean on the Holy Spirit and surrender your pride. Allow God to grow you in meekness.