When I hear the word meek, I think of someone who is quiet, gentle, and someone who can be easily imposed on and submissive, a wall flower.   That kid in middle school who sat at the table over by the trash cans, usually by himself.  Jesus says:

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.  – Matthew 5:5

It’s hard to find good examples of the meek in this fallen world,  I turn to Matthew Henry for a better explanation that I could ever write:

The meek are those who quietly submit themselves to God, to his word and to his rod, who follow his directions, and comply with his designs, and are gentle towards all men (Tit. 3:2); who can bear provocation without being inflamed by it; are either silent, or return a soft answer; and who can show their displeasure when there is occasion for it, without being transported into any indecencies; who can be cool when others are hot; and in their patience keep possession of their own souls, when they can scarcely keep possession of any thing else. They are the meek, who are rarely and hardly provoked, but quickly and easily pacified; and who would rather forgive twenty injuries than revenge one, having the rule of their own spirits.  – (Matthew Henry Complete Commentary)

The meek is the Christ follower, the person who has delegated justice, anger and wrath completely to God the Father.   They submit completely to all authority, gentle towards all men.   Another attribute of these people is slow to anger.

But there is a problem in this fallen world with the meek ones, John Calvin puts it this way:

When Christ promises to such persons the inheritance of the earth, we might think it exceedingly foolish. Those who warmly repel any attacks, and whose hand is ever ready to revenge injuries, are rather the persons who claim for themselves the dominion of the earth. And experience certainly shows that, the more mildly their wickedness is endured, the more bold and insolent does it become. Hence arises the diabolical proverb, that “We must howl with the wolves, because the wolves will immediately devour every one who makes himself a sheep.” – John Calvin’s Commentary on Matthew

This vile fallen world has nothing better to do than tear up the meek ones, why in the world would we even want to be meek?  To be meek, means you take the punches and don’t retaliate with punches.  To be meek means you don’t fight back,  you put your arms down, and you surrender, for you see past the shadowlands, and see an eternal soul in peril.

Calvin continues:

But Christ places his own protection, and that of the Father, in contrast with the fury and violence of wicked men, and declares, on good grounds, that the meek will be the lords and heirs of the earth The children of this world never think themselves safe, but when they fiercely revenge the injuries that are done them, and defend their life by the “weapons of war,” (Ezekiel 32:27.) But as we must believe, that Christ alone is the guardian of our life, all that remains for us is to “hide ourselves under the shadow of his wings,” (Psalm 17:8.) We must be sheep, if we wish to be reckoned a part of his flock.

The meek are living in the fallen world, but they are not of the fallen world.  They place unconditional trust in the protection of a sovereign and mighty God.  During the civil rights movements of the 1960’s history shows us, when people submit to God, and peaceful decent, God will grant them protection, and change the hearts and minds of others around them.

There is a growing ferocious spirit in our culture today, people seem more wreckless to be mean and vile in speech, trying to tear down people on social media.  There is a restlessness of evil, people are clamoring to be lords of digital domains, popularity is an idol, and these successes are not granted by being meek.

But these people seeking something: fame, comfort, or control, never actually get anything, in reality they are beggars playing king of the trash heap, because this world has nothing better to give.  The children of God, the meek, on the other hand, have no desire to control, but seek peace and look passively forward to an inheritance of this world.

I have not been meek, I know this is a huge area of my life that I have not submitted to Christ.  In my heart, I’ve seen meekness as foolishness, as a form of weakness, and I might outwardly say I want to be meek, but in reality, I have not desired it.  My words have been harsh, my temperament has been controlling,  I have been playing King of the Hill will my family, rather than being a servant, I was trying to be a King.

Each day, I need to desire to be meek, using tender kind words, being soft spoken, and being slow to anger.  To be meek takes a large amount of self control, and I need more.  I need to trust that God will protect me, and make myself vulnerable.   I need to open my fist, and put up my hands in submission, surrender, knowing that God will be glorified by these things.

Lord, help me to be meek and tender, drop my defenses and my pretext.  Mute my tongue if it needs to be, that I might be meek.

Picture by Jez Timms