The virtue of meekness (proates), in its simplest use, denotes “gentleness.” It is a timely topic for today as vengeance reciprocates and world leaders posture and grandstand. In Scripture, meekness/gentleness has a “fuller, deeper significance…it is an inwrought grace of the soul…and the exercises of it are first and chiefly towards God.”1 Toward our brethren, meekness reminds us to “forbear one another in love” (Eph. 4:2, 26) and to “let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves” (Phil. 2:3). Toward the world, we are compelled to promote in meekness the One who is gracious, true, meek and righteous (Ps. 45:2, 4).
“Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Mt. 11:29).
The first and most important aspect of meekness is related to our attitude toward God. In meekness of character we submit to the will of God. What does this involve? Scripture provides a commentary in the first section of Psalm 37. It includes such instructions as, “Fret not…neither be thou envious…Trust in the Lord, and do good…Delight thyself also in the Lord…Commit thy way unto the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.” Midway through the chapter the psalmist declares, “…the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace” (37:11). True meekness cheerfully and obediently rests in God’s will and has the kind of mettle to face life’s trials, and ultimately, to be strengthened by it. There is a tendency to contend with God’s will in our lives, to remain unlearned and to “kick against the goads.” To learn of Him, we must approach Christ in meekness by putting away our “high and angry spirits”2 and bow our heads to His gentle yoke. Meekness is strength in submission.
Our Lord Jesus serves as the ultimate example of submissive, humble meekness toward God. He held within Him all of the privileges of being the Son of God and all of the power of being one with the Father; yet He voluntarily made Himself of no reputation and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross (Phil 2:6-8), to become a perfect propitiation for us (Rom. 3:25, 1 Jn. 4:10). He bowed His head to His Father’s yoke and “learned obedience by the things which He suffered; and having been made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him” (Heb 5:8–9). He is our compassionate High Priest, wholly in touch with our infirmities, yet without sin. We find rest for our souls today because the “meek and lowly” Man is exalted and sits at God’s right hand. “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love…Be ye angry and sin not” (Eph. 4:2, 26).
Meekness toward our brethren should be a natural outcome of our meekness toward God. Paul was much maligned in Corinth by false teachers and those who sought the glory of men. By contrast, Paul implored the Corinthians “by the meekness and gentleness of Christ” without compromising truth, knowing when to be “base” and when to be “bold” (2 Cor. 10:1). Meekness is strength under control, not weakness.
For most of us, meekness does not come naturally. It takes time to develop. For example, Moses is described in Scripture as, “very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth” (Num 12:3). It was not always this way. After murdering an Egyptian in his own self-will, Moses fled and spent forty years in Midian where he slowly detached himself from his ways and the ways of the world. He returned to lead the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt into the wilderness for another forty years. Through all the murmurings, backbiting, and second-guessing, Moses demonstrated remarkable self-control and forbearance by entrusting himself to Him who judges righteously (1 Pet. 2:23). Moses exemplified “strength under control” but it did not come about without hard lessons in forbearance and complete obedience (Num. 20:10-12).
We would much rather be corrected by a gentle and meek spirit rather than a harsh and haughty one. When it is our turn to convey correction, may we not deceive ourselves—the natural man is pompous and callous and may even secretly find satisfaction in the stumbling of a saint. Scripture implores us to “restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Gal. 6:1).
“The tendency of the flesh is to do this harshly or with a superior attitude; to use boiling water so he won’t forget” rather than by taking the water of the Word and “gently applying it to their brother and his sin, all the time being aware that they too are vulnerable to temptation.”3
Meekness does not exist in a vacuum—it is perfected by love (1 Cor. 4:21) and presented with righteousness and truth (Ps. 45:4). “Grace is poured into thy lips…And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness” (Ps. 45:2, 4).
The third and final aspect of meekness on our agenda relates to the gospel of Christ. In meekness and gentleness we are to promote Him. Concerning this Messianic psalm, Wesley comments, “God hath plentifully poured into Thy [Christ’s] mind and tongue the gift of speaking wisely, eloquently, and acceptably.”4 The same grace that poured into and from the lips of Christ is available to us as redeemed ones!
Remember Moses? Though he was “very meek” he spoke unadvisedly with his lips.5 Not so with Christ! Our Lord welcomed the little children, received sinners and ate with them, touched the lepers, and wept over the city and the people He loved. “Even when they drove the nails into His blessed hands, yet He had no curse to breathe upon them, but His dying exclamation was, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’”6 What a contrast to the world in which we find ourselves! Christ won our hearts through meekness and benevolence, not tyranny and terror! More than ever this world needs our suffering Saviour, the meek and gentle Lamb, the compassionate High Priest, and Champion of humanity. Those who believe can say that they possess all things. We belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God (1 Cor. 3:21-23). May we win souls to Him as we evidence His meekness to others.
ENDNOTES
1. W. E. Vine, Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, 1940
2. C. H. Spurgeon, The Meek and Lowly One, 1859
3. Fleming, He Humbled Himself (Kansas City: 1989) p. 107
4. John Wesley, John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes on the Bible
5. T. E. Wilson, The Messianic Psalms (Grand Rapids: 1997)
6. C. H. Spurgeon, The Meek and Lowly One
Written by Ernie Tan