The Amazing Strength of Gentleness

In Western society, we tend to think of meekness as weakness. When most people hear the word meekness, they think of the person who won’t ever speak up for themselves, who simply lives a life as a doormat to everyone. This is not the picture of the word meekness from the Scriptures. Meekness, as it is often used in the Scriptures, is actually defined as “strength wrapped in humility.” It is then applied to this person, who is quite strong but has chosen to humble themselves to God or to another. In Bill’s lingo, they could take you out, but choose to consider you and your feelings rather than to take you out. As a kid when we encountered a person in public who acted really tough or mean (usually by telling us how tough he was), my dad would tell me privately, “He is trying to convince himself that he is tough. Watch out for the quiet ones, they are often the really tough ones.” I got the message; those really tough do not need to tell you about it or to convince themselves of it. I have found his words to be mostly accurate. I have met a few broasters who could back it up, but not many. Join us on Sunday as we break down exactly what Jesus meant by this statement, “The meek shall inherit the earth.”