Meekness, Not Weakness

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Matthew 5:5

When you hear the word meekness, you may think of the word in its modern setting—someone who is spineless, spiritless, lacking in strength and virility. The meek person in today’s world is not how we’d like to be known.

But the Bible says, “Blessed are the meek.” The Bible says the meek are blessed of God and someday they will rule the earth.

Meekness is not weakness. It is not laziness. It is not compromise at any price, not just being born nicer than other people.

The word came to mean in classical Greek “to soothe, to calm, to tranquilize.” Someone has described meekness as gentleness by those who have the power to be otherwise—power under control. Meekness is the grace that brings strength and gentleness together.

When Jesus invited us to Him, He did not appeal to us on the basis of His kingship, majesty, or authority. The Lord reaches out His arms and says, “Come to Me and I’ll give you rest, for I am meek—you can be comfortable coming to Me” (see Matthew 11:28).