Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5 ESV) What does it mean to be meek in a biblical sense? Dr. Richard Tow describes it well in his book, “Beatitudes of Christ.” On page 65, he says, “Meekness is not weakness. Meekness is a manifestation of spiritual strength in God. It is a result of God’s work on grace in the person.”
So, before we go any further, let’s be clear about the meaning of meekness in a biblical sense. It’s not the same as potential. It’s the God-given capacity to act. It is a power to be able to do what you need to do and when you need to do it.
To further differentiate between potential and meekness, let me give you an example. Potential is the possibility of something happening. Let’s say there is a convenience store that has your favorite soda. The potential is there for you to be able to go and buy it. It’s right there, all you have to do is walk in and get it.
This is potential. Yes, it’s a possibility, but it still takes something else to get it. Potential is the possibility of purchasing the soda. Meekness, on the other hand, is standing in the store with money in hand to buy it.
You are there, cash in hand, able to buy whatever you want to buy based on the amount you have.
Potential on the other hand is in the “land of possibilities” that our mind takes us to at times of what might be nice to do. We may really believe we will be able to do it one day, and if it is in God’s plan, we may very well do it. But, it’s not the same as meekness. Meekness is having the capacity to act, here and now. To take it. To get it. To have the ability and resources to accomplish the task.
Potential may be possible, but meekness is imminent.
Jesus calls us blessed when we have the strength (physical, emotional, financial or otherwise) to take action. Back to the store analogy. It is standing in the store with cash in hand to buy whatever you want.i
Meekness is the capacity to act but not necessarily taking action. I may be in the convenience store with a hundred-dollar bill. That doesn’t mean I am going to spend all my money on snacks and soda. But, you could. See, that is the power of meekness. You could buy whatever you want, but you don’t necessarily buy it.
Jesus exemplified meekness in the Garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26. A crowd comes for Jesus, and Peter chops off the ear of the servant of the high priest (verse 51). Jesus responds to Peter and says this:
“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. v. 53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? v. 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” (Matthew 26:52–54 NIV)ii
Peter and Jesus show a sharp contrast between acting in haste versus holding back in meekness. Jesus had to clean up the mess (literally) caused by Peter. Jesus tells him to put his sword up and then lets him know the level of meekness that He himself had in that moment. He said he could call down angels to take care of all of this.
Jesus doesn’t do this, though, and He explains why. He says if I just act and fix this, how will the Scriptures be fulfilled?
Why is it the meek that inherit the earth? Because the meek can be trusted. Can God trust you with a gift or talent and have you hold off on using that talent or gift until He tells you to?
Jesus lived a life in magnificent meekness because he had the capacity to call down angels from heaven to save Himself, but he chose to suffer on the cross instead. What allowed him to hold to this path? It was meekness. He didn’t have to do it, but He chose to do it.
Jesus would have been a victim if he didn’t have the capacity to stop them. Jesus wasn’t a victim. He was a victor. He victoriously died and rose again. He knew it would lead to victory because it was written in Scripture. He believed the Scriptures, and even though he had the capacity to call down angels from heaven, he emptied himself and took on the nature of a servant, even unto death. Philippians 2:7-8
Here is a potential application. God gives us all we need to accomplish what he has set forth for us to do as good works prepared in advance. That is His part. Our part is to stand at full attention, fully prepared to take whatever action He is calling us to take. Then, having full capacity to act, we wait.
Yes, we wait until He tells us to act according to His plan and purpose. To act according to what He has in store for us.
God cannot work all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose if we all act however we think is best. We are not like the people of Judges that had no king and so they did what they saw as right in their own eyes. (Judges 21:25)
Instead, we have the King of Kings and Lord of Lords that has passed through death and hell and is seated at the right hand of the Father. It is our King that has been given the name above all other names. That every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10-11)
Jesus held back in meekness in the Garden of Gethsemane. He emptied himself of what He wanted and followed the path Father had placed before Him. He did not seek His own honor; He sought the glory of the Father. And God the Father honored Him at the highest level.
Our part is to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might (Ephesians 6:10). God’s part is to lead us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. (Ps 23:3)
We listen and obey by trusting God to do whatever He wants, whenever He wants, and however He wants. We trust God with the outcomes, and we come dressed and ready for action in the full strength of His magnificent meekness. We stand, listen, and pray, “Not my will but yours be done.”
Amen and Amen.
i I like the idea of a convenience store here because it’s a practical example. You can stand in a store with $10 let’s say and pretty much buy (one thing at least) of whatever you want. This is different than driving through a car lot looking at cars you want to buy but don’t have the cash in hand to buy. “Cash in hand” is the idea underpinning meekness. It’s not pie in the sky; it’s food on the table.
ii Sidenote, Luke 22:50 says Jesus heals his ear, and John 18:10 says the name of the servant of the high priest was Malchus. It is interesting to consider who actually has their names written in the Bible and who doesn’t.
