Don't Mistake My Meekness For Weakness

A couple girlfriends and I get together Wednesday nights to share our victories and defeats from the week, to encourage and enable each other, to pray and to study God's word.  We have been doing Erwin McManus' video podcast series on the Beatitudes.  This week's was on being meek. "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." ~Matthew 5:5

I looked up the definition of meekness as there was some question as to how it differs from humility. Simply stated, meekness is the reluctance to assert oneself.  Which is in essence a fruit of humility.

I loved the illustration Erwin provided of a stallion - wild, snorting, powerful - who when brought under submission is still as equally powerful but is now obedient, he has harnessed that power.  Erwin was making the point that meekness is not weakness.  Meekness is simply power under control. Meekness is using the power we have to empower not overpower others.

Meekness is what Christ exhibited in the garden of Gethsemane when Judas came with the Temple guard to arrest him. He had the power to call down the angels to protect Him, and yet He chose not to use it. "Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?" ~Matthew 26:53-54.  Instead, He exhibited His power by miraculously re-attaching the severed ear of the Guard which had been sliced off by Peter's sword.

It takes great strength to bridal our power - to place ourselves in what others may perceive as positions of weakness.   There have been times in my life, where I had the power, the right and the ability to assert myself, but chose not to. Instead I decided to let it go - to submit and trust that God is in control. I have learned and in truth am still learning, that when we relinquish our power and control and submit to God, it is then that we experience true strength and the power of God can work through us. "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." ~2 Corinthians 12:9

It's interesting that the promise for the meek is that they will inherit the earth.  Experience, scripture and reason supports this promise.  God wants to give us the world, proverbially speaking.  His dreams are much bigger than anything we can dream for ourselves.  So it stands to reason that when we submit our will to God's, when we bridal our power so that His can reign it is then that we will inherit all that He has in store for us, both on earth and in heaven.