Weakness?

Meekness should never be mistaken for weakness!

"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5 (KJV)

Whenever I hear this word, I think of Dorothy standing before the great and powerful Wizard of Oz. She describes herself as "small and meek", but is she really all that meek? This one single word has to be the most misconstrued word. Meekness is not weakness. The Biblical interpretation for the word meek is "power under control".

Two men in the Bible were described as meek. Those two men were Moses and Paul. "Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth." Numbers 12:3 (KJV) And it was said of Paul, "Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ--I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent" II Corinthians 10:1 (NASB)

There is something about meekness that one must understand. It is not "adopting a low view of oneself or discrediting the position, the authority, that God has given to the individual." (J. Dwight Pentecost) Meekness is not placing ourselves in the mindset that we are so unworthy of what the Lord has bestowed upon us that we do not allow Him to use us. It "recognizes God's authority and submits itself to every manifestation of it." (J. Dwight Pentecost) Meekness recognizes the power of God in our lives and chooses not to abuse it, rather to use it, to obey it, to be lead by it. The prophet Samuel said it best, "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams." Imagine the Lord placing more focus on obedience than sacrifice. Obedience is better than sacrifice. I only bring up obedience because it is synonymous with meekness. "Meekness is characterized by unquestioning submission." (J. Dwight Pentecost)

The reward for this submission is inheritance. The meek shall inherit the earth. Submission to the Lord always has its rewards. One who realizes the power he has within himself and chooses not to exercise it, that one man is truly deserving of inheritance.

Look the the spiritual progression: First we must become poor, empty ourselves of everything, place ourselves in necessity's way; then we mourn over the state of the world, our own spiritual state. Then comes time for the meek. The Lord will not give the earth to those who are powerful, He will not give the earth to those who are not mournful over their own sinful deeds.

Meekness is not weakness. "If you think weak is meek, try being meek for a week." (Lance Kerwin)