Day 18 - Meekness

by DMWC on January 18th, 2012

THE WORD

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”  Matthew 5:5 (NIV 84)

 

THE APPLICATION

Meekness may be one of the most rare qualities in all of society today.  In a world dominated by those who appear to be the strongest and loudest, anything short of aggression is viewed as weakness. For that reason alone, people may miss the true value of meekness.  After all, who wants to be the puny nerd facing the wrath of the large schoolyard bully?  In fact, meekness goes directly against our natural inclination towards self-preservation. When faced with a threat, real or perceived, we may assume it beneficial to speak up, prove ourselves, and even retaliate.  Not only do we find it necessary in the heat of those moments, but in all honesty, we might find it quite empowering.

However, meekness says that our empowerment comes from another source.  The power is not seen in our ability to overpower others, but it is seen in our willingness to surrender to Him.  Meekness captures the essence of a surrendered life.  And it is most revealed when we face the greatest pressures.  Jesus models meekness like no other:  

“The chief priests and the whole council tried to find someone to accuse Jesus of a crime, so they could put him to death.  But they could not find anyone to accuse him.  Many people did tell lies against Jesus, but they did not agree on what they said.  Finally, some men stood up and lied about him. They said, ’We heard him say he would tear down this temple that we built. He also claimed that in three days he would build another one without any help.’  But even then they did not agree on what they said. The high priest stood up in the council and asked Jesus, ‘Why don't you say something in your own defense?  Don't you hear the charges they are making against you?’  But Jesus kept quiet and did not say a word.”   Mark 14:55-61a (CEV) 

In Jesus’ encounter, like many of our own, evil seems to have the upper hand.  Often times, because of fear, we quickly respond to how things seem.  Our challenge is to respond to the reality of the situation – not the outward perception of it.  The reality for Jesus was that His strength was being measured by His adherence to the Father’s will, not the opinion of others.  It’s the same with us.  It’s far more important to be strong, than to simply appear strong.  Meekness is real strength – at your core – and it determines your ability to endure the rigors of life in a fallen world.


THE NEXT STEP

  1. Jesus did not respond to His accusers.  Do you think you could have endured that type of intense ridicule?  Why or why not?
     
  2. How do you typically respond when someone is aggressive toward you or makes you feel threatened? 
     
  3. What does it mean to say someone “pushes my buttons”?  In regards to meekness, what does it mean to actually have “buttons”?
     
  4. Ask God for help with your “buttons” and the grace to endure the most intense pressures that life offers.

 

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