Meekness

Meekness

Meekness is part of the divine nature, a fruit of the Spirit. Moses is described as being very meek, more than all men who were on the face of the earth. Num. 12:3. Jesus said, “Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart . . . .”

Being meek is being quiet and introspective, without exercising my own will, entrusting myself into God’s hand, relying on Him, waiting on Him, resting in Him, being divinely indifferent to how the various things turn out, knowing that even the very hairs on my head have been numbered by Him.

The opposite of this is to be found in human energy and strength of will, in conceit and willfulness, in stubbornness and rebellion, in unrest and anxiety, in folly that is like a clamorous woman, in superficiality, in arrogance and impetuosity, in contentions, in wrath, and in violence.

Paul exhorts us to beware of dogs. This is also quite applicable in this connection. We see the opposite of meekness superbly represented by what we call a yelping dog. Have a look at them when the occasion presents itself. If you meet what is called a proper gossip, then—if possible and by way of a warning—give yourself good time to observe her, for what you see is not meekness.

In Philippians 4:5 we read, “Let your meekness be known [visible] to all men. The Lord is at hand.” From the above-mentioned verse we see that the apostle says this as protection against appearing to be happy outwardly. Joy is a strength that we should normally keep inside. On the other hand, our meekness should be shown to all men.

Peter commands the holy women not to adorn themselves in the normal way, but with a meek and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. This meekness of wisdom, as James calls it, is not only precious in the sight of God, but also in the sight of men, for the wise Solomon says that “it is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, than in a house shared with a contentious woman.”

When the Lord is near, when we keep Him in mind, and when we stand before His face, we become meek, for in God’s presence everyone will quite naturally and quickly put his hand on his mouth and cease his own activities, for there is hardly anyone who would be so bold as to attempt to get God excited by his achievement!?

The Lord knew and spoke with Moses face to face; therefore this was precisely why he was so meek; and Jesus likewise. He said only what He heard and did only what He saw with the Father. He walked before the Father’s face. God said to Abraham, “Walk before Me and be perfect.” Meekness belongs to perfection.

We see this meekness, which Jesus said we should learn from Him, conspicuously evident when He spoke with the Pharisees about the woman they had caught in adultery. He did not hear anything from the Father at that moment; however, in the meekness of wisdom He wrote on the ground, waiting for the right words at the right time. Just look at the result! What a wise and effective answer He received: “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” Who threw the first stone? No one! They all wanted to punish her with their stones in the name of righteousness. Consider the sudden turn of events that this meekness of wisdom could bring about in a short period of time in all quietness (in spite of waiting)! Now they were struck right in their hearts in the name of righteousness, and they left disgraced.

Imagine the endless debate most of us would have started! How zealous we would have been to have the last word—and how ineffective all this zeal would have been compared to the meekness of Christ.

The meek person has the promise of having his hunger and thirst stilled, of being led to what is right, of salvation and resurrection, of having his expectation fulfilled, and of inheriting the earth.

We are exhorted to pursue meekness and, putting it on, to be meek when we defend our position, to restore others in the spirit of meekness, to correct those who are in opposition with meekness and longsuffering, to perform our works in the meekness of wisdom, to receive the implanted word with meekness, and (in Titus 3:2) to “show all meekness to all men.”

Death must have been effective in us for a long time before we can live according to this last exhortation. Let it therefore work so that we can truly and as quickly as possible reach such a blessed result.