THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS MEEKNESS—GALATIANS 5:22-26; PSALM 10:17-18, PSALM 37:10-11; MATTHEW 11:25-30
The great African American Contralto Marian Anderson died of congestive heart failure on April 8, 1993, at the age of ninety-six. She retired from singing in 1965. Once in an interview Miss Anderson was asked by a reporter to “name the greatest moment in her life.” “The choice seemed difficult to others who were in the room that day, because she had many big moments. For example:
“There was the night Conductor Arturo Toscanini announced, ‘A voice like hers comes once in a century.
“In 1955 she became the first African American to sing with the Metropolitan Opera Company in New York.
“The following year her autobiography MY LORD, WHAT A MORNING,
was published—a bestseller.
“In 1958 she became a United states delegate to the United Nations.
“On several occasions during her illustrious career, she received medals from various countries around the world.
“There was that memorable time she gave a private concert at the White House for the Roosevelts and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of England.
“Her hometown, Philadelphia, had, on one occasion, awarded her the $10,000 Bok Award as the person who had done the most for that city.
“In 1963 she was awarded the coveted Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“There was that Easter Sunday in Washington D. C. when she stood beneath the Lincoln statue and sang for a crowd of 75,000, which included Cabinet members, Supreme Court justices, and most members of Congress.
“Which of those big moments did she choose? None of them. Miss Anderson quietly told the reporter that the greatest moment of her life was the day she went home and told her mother she wouldn’t have to take in washing anymore” [--Alan Loy McGinnis, The Friendship Factor.]. The greatness of Marian Anderson was seen in her meek spirit.
“The Fruit of the Spirit Is Gentleness.” We are going back today to the translation found in the King James Version, “The Fruit of the Spirit Is Meekness” for our sermon title. Here is the reason. Of all the virtues Paul expounds in his list as fruit of the Spirit, this term is the hardest to covey in English. I believe meekness comes closer in expressing the meaning of the original Greek than does gentleness. The Greek language is so often much more expressive and colorful than the English. It is almost impossible to translate the term rendered here as “gentleness” in the New International Version or “meekness” in the King James.
I believe it was Sir William Gurney Benham, who coined the phrase, “Meekness is not weakness.” We normally think that is the case in our society today. Meekness somehow connotes spinelessness or paints a picture of an individual that can easily be run over or taken advantage of by others. When it comes to Christian discipleship, however, meekness refers to one who has a patient, gentle disposition, one who is willing to submit to the actions and opinions of others; one who respects the feelings of others. The meek disciple is the one who is willing to submit in total surrender and obedience to the control of the Holy Spirit upon his or her life.
Now here is the difference between gentleness and meekness in Scripture. The word in the original Greek New Testament refers to more than simply external conduct and more than personal human relationships. It is an inward, spiritual grace that is directed chiefly to God. It accepts all of his dealings with us as good. Meekness is unquestionable surrender and obedience to the control of the Holy Spirit in my life. It is more a state of mind and heart and requires the power of the Holy Spirit in order to practice it in one’s daily Christian walk. Gentleness, on the other hand, refers more to outward actions rather than to inward motives. The term in English that comes closer to expressing the eight “Fruit of the Spirit” is meekness.
The Greek word is often used to describe “an animal that has been tamed and brought under control.” In applying it to the Christian disciple it refers to one who has fully submitted to the control of the Holy Spirit. Maxie Dunnam and his daughter Kimberly Dunnam Reisman share a beautiful illustration of what this means for the Christian in their book The Workbook on Virtues and the Fruit of the Spirit. Their story originated with Evelyn Underhill: “Evelyn Underhill used a sheepdog as a model for the Christian. She says that a well-trained sheepdog sits at his master’s feet looks him in the eye, never moving until he receives his command from the master. Then when that command is clear, he responds immediately, goes to do his master’s bidding, and, in it all, never ceases to wag his tail” [--Maxie Dunnam and Kimberly Dunnam Reisman, The Workbook on Virtues and the Fruit of the Spirit, p. 175.]
Meekness on the part of Christian disciples means we are like that obedient sheepdog in the hands of the Holy Spirit. We submit to His will and find peace and happiness in total surrender.
The Ancient Greeks themselves admired this virtue Scripture calls meekness. Aristotle even had a lot to say about it. For him it was the medium between two extremes; an uncontrolled, unjustified anger or what we might call a quick temper on the one hand; and no anger or emotion at all regardless of what the situation may be. He saw the meek person as one who knew his personal rights but did not always insist on them; the meek individual was one who was willing to be reasonable. He would not always insist upon having his own way or demand his own rights. This is the spirit of meekness seen in the Christian disciple in James 3:17, “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” The meek disciple is submissive to the Holy Spirit, considerate, full of mercy, impartial, and sincere in all relationships with others.
The Greeks and Aristotle never viewed the meek person as being a pushover. On the contrary, such an individual was one who could become angry at the right time, but never at the wrong time, never in a fit of outrageous temper. Jesus was such a person. The Bible constantly affirms there is a time for righteous anger: “There is a time to tear, and a time to mend,” “A time of war and a time of peace” [Ecclesiastes 3:7, 8]. We are commanded in Psalm 4:4 and Ephesians 4:26, “‘In your anger do not sin.’” Jesus was meek; He describes Himself in Matthew 11:29, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Paul appeals to the Church at Corinth in II Corinthians 10:1 “By the meekness and gentleness of Christ. . . “Peter reminds us of our Lord’s gentle, meek spirit in I Peter 2:23, “When they hurled their insults at Him, he did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him Who judges justly.”
In His meekness, Jesus always knew the right time to show anger. He became angry at the Pharisees in Mark 3 when they were critical of His healing the man with a withered hand on the Sabbath. We recall the occasion: “Then Jesus asked them, ‘Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?’ But they remained silent.
“He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored” [Mark 3:4-5]. We also recall His righteous indignation in expelling the money changers from the Temple in Matthew 21, Mark 11, and Luke 19, “Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ‘It is written,’ he said to them, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a ‘den of robbers’” [Matthew 21:12-13]. Meekness does not mean we never become angry. The anger of meek disciples is always tempered by the Holy Spirit Himself.
As disciples the fruit of meekness strengthens our witness for Jesus. Our meek spirits may lead to the conversion of lost persons. Both Paul and Peter speak to that possibility. Peter calls upon us in I Peter 3:15-16, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness (meekness) and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”
In II Timothy 2:24-26 Paul explicitly tells us that a meek spirit in sharing our faith may well lead to the conversion of the lost: “And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”
In witnessing meekness means, as the servant of Jesus, I do not quarrel; am kind to everyone; able to teach; not resentful; and gently instruct all “in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth so that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil.” In other words, I relate to lost friends in a meek spirit so that they may be saved. Meekness is simply a mild and gentle friendliness with everyone and by the Holy Spirit seek to “make a friend, be a friend, and bring a friend to Christ.” It is the spirit of kindness, consideration, fairness, and compassion.
One more point I would quickly like to share. The meek disciple is teachable by the Holy Spirit. Jesus promises us in John 16:13-14, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is Mine and making it known to you.” James 1:21 also commands us: “. . . . Humbly (meekly) accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” As we meekly accept the word planted in us by the Holy Spirit, He teaches us all the truth and enables us to be effective witnesses for Jesus!
“The Fruit of the Spirit Is Meekness.” “Meek, what does it mean?” Robert Schuller sums it up well: “The answer lies in the word itself:
“M-Mighty,
E-Emotionally stable,
E-Educable,
K-Kind’” [Robert Harold Schuller, 1926-]. “Meekness is not weakness.”
