The Qualities of a Christian Life
Part 3: Meekness is not Weakness
For me, meekness is the most perplexing Beatitude we have delved into thus far. I can understand how the poor in spirit might receive the Kingdom of Heaven. God has a real fondness for humble people. I get that those who mourn shall be comforted. Jesus made it clear that he has a soft spot for people who are hurting. Yet the notion of meek inheriting the earth counters a lot of things we have been taught. Let’s be honest, if you’re going for a job interview, meekness is not a virtue a prospective employer looks for. I mean, who climbs the corporate ladder on the rungs of meekness? If you are an athlete, meekness won’t score a lot of points with a fan base. The conventional wisdom of our world teaches us that if you want to succeed you must be aggressive. Be confident. And for heaven’s sakes, don’t let anyone push you around.
So, to say that the meek will inherit the earth seems like a bit of a stretch. For one thing, the meek can’t even inherit their way into traffic. So obviously, this third Beatitude runs counter to everything we believe and practice in daily life. We talk of survival of the fittest. We are taught that unlimited access to power will bring us happiness. Yet Jesus taught that true, authentic happiness is found in the restraint of power. As a matter of fact, when Jesus talked about meekness, he was describing something that requires great strength. He was talking about self-control.
The word for meekness that Jesus used is a virtue known in the Greek language as praus. The great philosopher, Aristotle, defined every virtue as the middle path between two extremes. With respect to praus or meekness unbridled power lies at one extreme, while paralysis falls at the other. As the middle path, meekness is strength that is exercised under control. The word, praus, was used by the Greeks to describe a powerful animal, whose strength has been domesticated or brought under control. For example, the rippling muscles of a ox are subject to the reins of the master who controls it.
In the Bible, only three men are described as being meek. However, there is one woman that demonstrated strength under control perhaps greater than anyone other than Jesus. Her name was Esther. Esther was a Jew. Esther was also married to Xerxes, the king of Persia. Xerxes was the most powerful man in the world during his reign. He was, likewise, one of the most brutal dictators of his time. As queen, Esther had many privileges save one. She could only approach her husband if he summoned her. Esther learned that a secret plan had been concocted to kill all the Jewish people. However, the king knew nothing about the evil scheme. Yet this demure, young girl put her life on the line by arranging to meet and speak to the king without an invitation. That lone, courageous act saved the lives of an entire nation.
I don’t doubt that Esther was scared out of her mind when she acted. Yet she demonstrated sheer strength and courage, all the while keeping her fear under control. There’s an old saying that it takes strength to be gentle. A weak person can’t be gentle. A meek person, however, is not weak but is, instead, a very strong person. So strong, in fact, that she is capable of controlling even her nervous energy to be used for good purposes.
Even still, how is it that the meek have the prospects of inheriting the earth? Permit me to suggest a few ideas. First, I believe that meek people inherit greater influence. Those who have a gentle spirit not only have the capacity to influence friends, they even possess the capacity to win over enemies.
Aggressive people tend to insist on their own way. They demand their rights in relationships. They dominate conversations. In the end, they lose friends and create enemies.
You tend to see these kinds of dynamics in bullies. A bully is a bully because he doesn’t have the strength to be anything else. In fact, a bully suffers from an innate sense of weakness, which is the very reason he feels compelled to prove that he’s tough. And, by the way, bullies can be found everywhere. You find them not only on the playground but bullies can be found among managers and executives, teachers and preachers, and even moms and dads. They use their tongues to humiliate and control others.
The meek person, however, has no need to bully others. The gentle person knows who he is. So, he has little to prove. He has enough inner strength to control any authority placed upon him.
Last month recognized the twentieth anniversary of the death of Princess Diana of Whales. Under Diana’s leadership, much of the world changed for the better. Diana was a strong proponent of eliminating landmines from countries that had been torn apart by war. The Princess visited individuals who had limbs blown off because they stepped on personnel mines left behind by warring factions. Diana made a number of enemies, particularly within Great Britain, because the British army used landmines as part of its military strategy. Yet Diana proceeded to bring the plight of millions of victims to the world’s attention. By 1997, 122 countries agreed to ban all anti-personnel mines. During the campaign, Diana never once raised her voice nor did she speak harshly of anyone who opposed her. Yet by the sheer strength of her character and humility, Diana imposed her will and made our world a safer place to live.
You see, the meek don’t feel the need to push others around. Meekness isn’t weakness. The meek know their power. Therefore, they don’t have to throw their weight around. They need not assert themselves forcefully in order to convince others that they are in command
In addition to influence, Scripture teaches that the meek inherit peace. Psalm 37:11 says that “…the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace” (NIV). In this instance, the Bible is talking about promoting peace with and for others. One of the great biblical scholars of the 20th century was William Barclay. Barclay once said that the third Beatitude can be interpreted this way: “Blessed is the one who is always angry at the right time, and never angry at the wrong time.” That may sound like a strange idea. Some people think that anger is always a bad idea. (By the way, Jesus demonstrated anger by turning over a few money changing tables in the Temple.) Oftentimes, the pathway to peace on earth requires the right kind of anger channeled at just the right time.
For example, I want to hire a teacher who is angry at ignorance. I also want to be treated by a doctor who is angry with cancer. I would welcome a politician who is angry with deception, as I would appreciate a worker who is angry with laziness. I want to see parents who are angry with child abuse. And, I suspect you would want a pastor who gets angry with sin. In fact, I would say that every great cause would die were it not for the fact that someone gets angry with the way things are. Anger that is focused in the right way at the right time can bring about peace in the lives of many. I grew up in a family of strong women.
When my grandmother died, the pastor who conducted her funeral said that Emma was such a sweet person that if you were to slap her on the cheek, you’d come away with nothing but honey. My father leaned over to me and said, “If you ever dare slap my mother, she’d knock you out.”
My grandmother had three daughters, one of whom was my Aunt Rowena. Rowena became partially paralyzed when she contracted polio as a child. When Rowena was a teenager, she babysat my father when he was a toddler. One day, my dad wandered off into the backyard of the Wells’ homestead and fell into a pond. Rowena looked out the window and saw my father lying face down in the water. Somehow, Rowena crawled her way out of the house, down a hill, and reached my dad before he could drown. Rowena never weighed more than ninety pounds throughout her life. She managed to teach herself how to walk without braces. When she died at the age of 83, my father declared at her graveside that he had never known a stronger person.
Friend, being a Christian is not for the faint of heart. Following Jesus means to picking up your cross, whatever that might mean for you. Walking in Jesus’ footsteps challenges you to never give up, even if you have to crawl on your hands and knees because you never know when Jesus will call upon you to save someone’s life.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, forgive me for the times I allow fear to overwhelm me. I pray that your perfect love will drive away all anxiety that seeks to paralyze my soul. Grant me the grace to be courageous and bold enough to vent my anger against those things that disturb you most. Position me in such a way that I might bear the light of Christ in this dark world. Through the name of the One who came to redeem. Amen.