When Meekness Goes Out the Window: A Personal Reflection

How have you been doing at meekness? Sometimes when we are squeezed, meekness goes out the window.

Our doggie is dying of cancer. Presently, he is stable. We knew he had been losing weight. But the situation began to become serious when a couple of months ago he lost the ability to walk for a day. The veterinarian did not believe it was necessary to euthanize him, and that he would regain his strength in a day or so.

The week that this occurred was a very busy week, and I was really drained. We couldn’t find a store that had a hind end harness for sale so that we could support him when he went outside to relieve himself. So I used an old shirt. It worked. But late at night when tired, I tried to explain to a family member how to fit it on our four-legged friend so as to have him successfully relieve himself, and my assistant wasn’t getting it. I was holding the dog and trying to make clear the plan. By the time we were done, I don’t think there was any meekness left in my tone of voice. Meekness is associated with gentleness. That was missing also.

Jesus taught, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). I’m interested in inheriting the earth someday and enjoying a completely cleansed universe as a person perfected in the righteousness of Christ who can enjoy God’s perfections. So I suppose I’d better learn more about meekness. We introduced the topic in last week’s article.

Meekness is not a natural disposition. Moses was said to be the meekest man on earth, but he was not always so. Earlier in life he asserted himself to advance an agenda he liked, and in doing so committed murder. So, meekness did not come naturally to him. The ancient preacher Ambrose said that of all the works God did through Moses – parting the Red Sea, the ten plagues in Egypt, the giving of the Law, etc., none made him more honorable than his trait of meekness.

Meekness is a lack of self-will toward God and a lack of ill will toward people. So meek people do not stir up fights, are content with what God gives, and trust in God to bring justice, surrendering the causes they love to God to ask Him to bring justice. A meek person does not boast about abilities or accomplishments and is willing to surrender rights if doing so would advance God’s kingdom. Meekness drives a person to handle personal injury without fostering resentment.

Meekness is a personal quality that Jesus specifically mentioned about Himself. He trusted His Father to vindicate and bless Him, so He did not spend His time on earth running a defensive campaign to promote Himself. He did not frantically try to retaliate against His enemies in an effort to save His life, but His Father raised Him from the dead. His meekness was definitely tied to blessing!