The Meek
I am just now tunneling out of a moment of learning in my life. God had been teaching me a lot about something really important, that I am excited to share with you; meekness. I feel like being meek is a prime example of something that is distorted by the world.
What does the world say about being meek? If you type "meek" into google this is what you get: quiet, gentle, and easily imposed on; submissive.
That doesn't seem like such a positive thing, does it? "Easily imposed on" basically saying someone who is walked all over. When I think of someone who is meek, I had thought of someone with "no back bone" someone who is often taken advantage of.
Now lets look at what the Bible says about meekness:
But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. Psalm 37:11
Better is it to be of a humble spirit with the meek, than to divide the spoil with the proud. Prov 16:19
That the slave of the Lord should not be contentious, but be meek unto everyone, apt to teach, patient. 2 Tim 2:24
Interesting, right? The Bible uses meek as a good quality. It is portrayed as a quality of power, humbleness, patience and love.
God has taught me this recently through some experiences that I have had. There have been some people in my life who have behaved in ways that are extremely hurtful and frustrating to me. Now, as a human my internal reaction is to express my pain, show people how they have hurt me and try to change this. God has been teaching me that while those things have their place it is not always in His plan, or in my timing that those things will happen.
Meekness, is being gentle and loving enough to wait on God. Being patient enough and humble enough that maybe we don't need "justification" when we are wronged but rather TRUST God and know that He is the one who is dealing with this person. There are times when you can help that person learn and change, and God will use you. But there are also times when you just need to breathe, forgive and leave it to God. We cannot change people, God changes people. We just follow God.
This is one of the hardest things. To learn not to give in to our selfish desires to show the person that they have hurt us. To not "stand up for ourselves" but instead to see that God is fighting for us, and we need to let Him do that how He sees fit. That is not easy. To know that there is strength in letting God handle things and we don't always get to be heard, or get to be right, or get that apology that we feel we deserve.
When you work for God, it is not clapping hands and pats on the back that sustain us. It is not apologies every time someone wrongs us. It is not necessarily justice and truth. Sometimes it is knowing that God is telling you to wait, and letting Him run the show even when you may feel like you're being walked over. It takes more strength to turn the other cheek than it does to tell someone off. It is easy to run after someone pointing out all the injustices that they have done. It is easy to say how someone has hurt you. What's hard is letting God do what He has to do on His time, and maybe only getting comforted by Him.
There is strength is not gossiping. There is strength is quietly forgiving. There is strength is letting God fight the battles. It is not every battle that will be won here on Earth. It is not every lesson that someone is ready to learn. If nothing else, know that if your conscious is clear with the Lord you have already won that battle. Meekness is strength. Meekness is has its place. Meekness is obedience.
Jesus didn't run after people showing that they were wrong, especially as they persecuted Him. He knew that this was in God's hands. This is not our battle to fight. We cannot change people without God. We need to be humble enough to see this. We need to be courageous enough to let God control things. Be meek when God asks, be courageous when needed. There is strength in meekness.
What does the world say about being meek? If you type "meek" into google this is what you get: quiet, gentle, and easily imposed on; submissive.
That doesn't seem like such a positive thing, does it? "Easily imposed on" basically saying someone who is walked all over. When I think of someone who is meek, I had thought of someone with "no back bone" someone who is often taken advantage of.
Now lets look at what the Bible says about meekness:
But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. Psalm 37:11
Better is it to be of a humble spirit with the meek, than to divide the spoil with the proud. Prov 16:19
That the slave of the Lord should not be contentious, but be meek unto everyone, apt to teach, patient. 2 Tim 2:24
Interesting, right? The Bible uses meek as a good quality. It is portrayed as a quality of power, humbleness, patience and love.
God has taught me this recently through some experiences that I have had. There have been some people in my life who have behaved in ways that are extremely hurtful and frustrating to me. Now, as a human my internal reaction is to express my pain, show people how they have hurt me and try to change this. God has been teaching me that while those things have their place it is not always in His plan, or in my timing that those things will happen.
Meekness, is being gentle and loving enough to wait on God. Being patient enough and humble enough that maybe we don't need "justification" when we are wronged but rather TRUST God and know that He is the one who is dealing with this person. There are times when you can help that person learn and change, and God will use you. But there are also times when you just need to breathe, forgive and leave it to God. We cannot change people, God changes people. We just follow God.
This is one of the hardest things. To learn not to give in to our selfish desires to show the person that they have hurt us. To not "stand up for ourselves" but instead to see that God is fighting for us, and we need to let Him do that how He sees fit. That is not easy. To know that there is strength in letting God handle things and we don't always get to be heard, or get to be right, or get that apology that we feel we deserve.
When you work for God, it is not clapping hands and pats on the back that sustain us. It is not apologies every time someone wrongs us. It is not necessarily justice and truth. Sometimes it is knowing that God is telling you to wait, and letting Him run the show even when you may feel like you're being walked over. It takes more strength to turn the other cheek than it does to tell someone off. It is easy to run after someone pointing out all the injustices that they have done. It is easy to say how someone has hurt you. What's hard is letting God do what He has to do on His time, and maybe only getting comforted by Him.
There is strength is not gossiping. There is strength is quietly forgiving. There is strength is letting God fight the battles. It is not every battle that will be won here on Earth. It is not every lesson that someone is ready to learn. If nothing else, know that if your conscious is clear with the Lord you have already won that battle. Meekness is strength. Meekness is has its place. Meekness is obedience.
Jesus didn't run after people showing that they were wrong, especially as they persecuted Him. He knew that this was in God's hands. This is not our battle to fight. We cannot change people without God. We need to be humble enough to see this. We need to be courageous enough to let God control things. Be meek when God asks, be courageous when needed. There is strength in meekness.
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