“Meekness is not Weakness” Matthew 5:5 Beatitudes - #3
Intro: When’s the last time you heard someone say, “If you really want to succeed in life,
try being meek?” Or, “If you want to rise to the top and get somewhere in life, display a lot
of meekness along the way?” Meekness is not a characteristic that we really desire.
The world’s philosophy of success tells us that we need to: 1. Be Assertive / Aggressive;
2. To go for the throat / Do whatever is necessary; and to 3. Use your power to get what
you deserve. (Society portrays the “Tough Guy” image as being essential and attractive.)
So, imagine the reaction of the disciples when Jesus says, “Blessed are the meek...”
We tend to think of being “Meek” as being Wimpy, Weak, Sickly and Cowardly.
What does it mean to be Meek? What attributes describe a meek person? (First of all.....)
A MEEK PERSON IS CONTROLLED, GENTLE AND FORGIVING
It is a person with a strong, yet very teachable spirit. Someone who is seen maybe as the
“Strong, Silent Type.” It is someone with a full ability to take over and conquer something,
but yet is able to practice discipline and control within that power. (Is God-Controlled)
*It is someone who is gentle and remains under control especially when dealing with people.
Someone who is even-tempered, who can answer respectfully and who is able to show
displeasure without reacting impulsively. (Sees deeper and doesn’t fly off the handle)
*It is someone who can respectfully disagree, is not easily provoked, does not seek
revenge and who is generally very willing, eager and ready to forgive others.
*It is also someone who fully realizes and understands the detrimental effects of sin and
because of it, remains committed to much SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE. (How’re ya doin so far?)
In I Cor. 6:12 Paul says, “Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial;
I will not be mastered by anything.” (A meek person will not be mastered by anything) Also,
A MEEK PERSON IS HUMBLE AND QUIET
It is someone who knows their place in God’s plan, who strives to bloom where they’re
planted and who realizes and knows for a fact that the grass isn’t always greener on the
other side of the fence. They are not jealous people, they are content with what God gives.
They desperately know their need for God and for His Hand alone to guide, direct and to
control their life. They are well aware of their shortcomings and will freely admit that they
don’t have all the answers. Romans 12:3 says, “...Do not think of yourself more highly than
you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment...” A meek person thinks with a
“sober judgment.” They are truly Humble before both God and Man.
Someone who is meek is also Quiet. Psalm 4:4 tells us, “In your anger do not sin; when you
are on your beds, search your heart and be silent.” (Are you known to be Quiet, Silent and
Reflective?) A meek person quietly surrenders each day to God w/out a big fuss or show.
It is a person whom you could observe and could know a lot about them without ever
hearing them speak a word. It doesn’t mean they don’t have anything to say, it’s just
that their actions speak for themselves. Scripture says that there is an “...unfading
beauty of this quiet spirit and that it is of great worth in God’s sight.” (I Pet. 3:4)
(How are doing here? Do we shout and pout when we don’t get our way?)
This Beatitude says, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” The REWARD of
the meek is that they will inherit the earth. To “Inherit the Earth” means that they will have
a GREAT INFLUENCE on others in their world and that they will be able to ENJOY and
EXPERIENCE the things of this earthly life to the fullest. Their days won’t be filled with
Griping and Complaining -- they’ll simply be a joy to be around.
What’s the secret to this joy? Very simply, they have PEACE. They know who they are,
they know where they’re going, they know whose they are and they know that there is
nothing else to prove. DO YOU STILL THINK THAT “MEEKNESS IS WEAKNESS?”
It is quite the opposite. This is a description of an extremely strong person.
Conclusion: I have a story here which gives us a clear picture of “meekness” being
displayed and being lived out. (READ “What About Abstinence?”) This man could’ve
shouted, hollered and carried on about his views, but instead he felt led to slow down
and to pray for guidance. As he was open to the Holy Spirit’s leading, we’ve seen here
the end-result of someone who had a strong, lasting influence on others, because he was
Humble, Gentle, Prayerful and Meek.
Sounds a lot like the Life, Testimony and Ministry of JESUS CHRIST!
Today, may we set aside our agendas, our opinions and our rights; and may we also,
like Jesus Christ, be CONTROLLED, GENTLE, FORGIVING, HUMBLE, QUIET and MEEK.
Within our meekness, may our actions also speak louder than our words.
Prayer
