The Beatitudes: Is Meekness Weakness?

The Beatitudes: Is Meekness Weakness?

Bible Blast: Read Psalm 37:5-11

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

Matthew 5:5 (NIV)

My son Rob is nineteen years old and built like a football player. He’s well over six feet tall and weighs two hundred pounds. He can lift anything. Since my hobby is moving my living room furniture around about four times a year, I call on him a lot. (Especially since I dropped a superold and huge television on my foot!) But I have never heard him brag about his strength.

As huge as he is, Rob would never hurt anyone. My favorite photos of him are from our missions trips to Zambia, with little orphans hanging onto him while he walks. They just loved climbing up him and knowing his affection for them. He’d just tap them gently on their heads and smile. Rob is meek.

Meekness isn’t the same thing as being weak. It’s more like knowing you have power and strength inside of you, but knowing when to tuck it away and when to use it. Meekness is a lot like self-control. Meekness is a difficult choice because it means you back off of every fight you could win—whether it’s a physical fight, a mental fight, or a power struggle. The world seems to send the message, “If you’re meek, you’re a wimp! You need to stand up and fight! Show the world what you can do! Fight your way to the top! Meek people won’t ever be successful!” Well, according to this focus verse, the meek will ultimately be supersuccessful. They will get the entire earth! How can that be?

Toward the end of the book of Revelation, John describes what he sees in a vision God has given him. It’s a vision of heaven. John says that he saw the old heaven and earth that had passed away. In its place came a brand, spankin’ new heaven and earth for us to live on! And guess who will be living on that new earth with us? The meek who love Jesus, that’s who (see Revelation 21).

In every situation it’s important to ask God how we should act and respond. If we do that and obey what he says, meekness will naturally happen.

Girl Gab: Can you and your mom think of someone who’s meek? It doesn’t have to be a big guy like Rob. An eighty-year-old woman can be meek. Encourage that person today, saying that you notice and admire her meekness.