Meek Not Weak part 1
Continuing our (kind of) indepth study of Colossians 3:12 brings us to "meekness." And I'm going to give the Strong's Greek Concordance definition in a minute, but first I want to give MY definition that I learned from my pastor. "Meekness is not weakness. It is strength under control." And this is kind of the same idea as humbleness being not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. So when we see a verse like Matthew 5:5, "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth," it doesn't mean that those who cower and hide will end up on top. I believe fortune favors the bold. I believe sometimes you have to go out on a limb, because that's where the fruit is. But you can't be a bully either. I think I've made my thoughts on that known. If not, let me. I think bullies are the living worst. I think people using their strength to dominate or control people is awful. I can't stand it. But at the same time, I think the strong can, and should, and must, stand up for the weak. But lets slow down. We have a few days to dig into this. Let's start with the definition. "Meekness" is 4236 in Strong's Greek Concordance and it means, "gentleness; by implication humility." A gentle giant, if I can say it that way. Strength under control. And the idea of humility goes right along with everything else we've been talking about. Remember how humbleness of mind is humiliation of mind? Being willing to do anything necessary to give others what they need? Gladly spending everything you are and everything you have, no matter what the results turn out to be. That's love. And since God is all-powerful, and since God is love, that means love is all-powerful. So if love is meek, and meekness is NOT weakness, that means being meek is being strong. Its just not being loud. Not being boastful. Not being a bully. Being soft. Not to the point where you're a marshmellow and just let things roll over you, but being soft to the point where you can bend and not break. Being strong enough to not need your own way all the time. Love doesn't demand its own way. Love is all-powerful (which doesn't mean MOST powerful, but means "has all the power"). But love doesn't brag about itself (HIMSELF). Love just does what it (HE) does. Quietly sometimes. Sometimes to the point where nobody notices what love is doing until it (HE) stops doing it. But that's ok. Because love doesn't do it for a reaction. What's that song? "I live for the applause." That's not love. That's not meekness. More appropriately is the quote: "The reward of a thing well done is in the doing." Sometimes the journey is more important than the destination. Sometimes when things look easy, its because you've spent years perfecting them. So you don't need to toot your own horn. If you have to announce something in order for someone to "know" it, it probably wasn't true in the first place. If you have to say you're the best... you're probably not. If you ARE the best, people will know it, and say it for you. You can be meek without being weak. You can be strong without being obnoxious. You can be humble, have humility, and still do what is right!