Seeking Meekness

Meek is not a popular word. It brings to mind a cowering soul that is afraid of her own shadow; a doormat, if not a dormouse, that allows everyone to walk all over her. But this is not biblical meekness.

Today I’m reading Zephaniah 2. It is a call to God’s people for repentance. They are warned of impending judgment and the only way to escape it is by turning from their sin to God seeking forgiveness.

He also tells those who do follow Him that they must continue. Verse 3 says, “Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger.”

If meekness were of the doormat type, then the meek could never uphold the justice of the Lord. For one thing, those who are trembling and fearful simply cannot take the steps necessary to stop powerful or greedy people from abusing those who are weak and needy.

A clue to the real meaning of meek is in the phrase, “Seek righteousness, seek humility.” A meek person is not doing their own thing nor promoting or protecting themselves. Instead, if I am meek, I will not worry about my own needs, but be focused on the will of God.

I’ve heard several other definitions. One is “strength under control” — like a powerful horse that is tamed and guided by a small bit in its mouth. Nelson’s Bible Dictionary says it is “an attitude of humility toward God and gentleness toward people, springing from a recognition that God is in control.”

Weakness and meekness may look similar, but they are not the same. Weakness is due to negative circumstances, such as lack of strength or lack of courage, but meekness is a choice. It is “strength and courage under control, coupled with kindness.”

Moses was meek; Jesus was meek. God values meekness. He says in 1 Peter that Jesus, “when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously. . . .” Jesus went to the cross trusting God in that horrible situation and for the outcome. Because He was meek, I have eternal life!

A few verses later, women are told not to focus on outward beauty, but on “the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a meek and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God” (1 Peter 3:4).

The author of my devotional book says that meekness is discovered when I recognize and confess the opposite. That is, I need to know when I am not meek to figure out what it is like to be meek.

The opposite is human pride, the sense of “I can” and boasting, but it is also more than that. It is any sense of self-righteousness, and that “false fire” that I might mistake for the light and fire of God’s Spirit! His justice is not established by human zeal.

Therefore, whenever I feel an excited temper, anger, strife, envy, and jealousy in my heart, or contend for my own views in my own spirit with rash and unbecoming words rather than for the glory of God, I am not meek. However, when I realize that these things are contrary to the spirit of the gospel and the gentleness of Jesus Christ, then I begin to get a grasp of meekness.

Further, I learn this through events that provoke me. As my readings say, a husband can be very meek while his wife and children are doing everything to please him, but where is his meekness when they thwart and provoke him? It goes both ways. I can be very meek when things go my way, but how do I react when they do not?

As I read this morning, I realize how much the “knowledge of the disease makes me desire the remedy.” Meekness is that inner contentment that listens to the Holy Spirit and only rises up if God says so.

Jesus said “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

That light burden has meekness written all over it. Besides being a rest for my soul, being gentle (also translated meek) is a blessing that keeps me close to Him, yoked with Him, working beside Him.

Zephaniah 2:3 says that meekness protects me from the judgment of God, yet David said, “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your gentleness (meekness) has made me great” (2 Samuel 22:36).

I think David’s words go even farther. Besides being a shield that protects me from God’s anger over my pride and sinful self, meekness has the potential to make me into a far better person.