MEEKNESS AND GENTLENESS

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‘Meek‘ and ‘gentle‘, the two words go hand in hand, however the meaning of meekness has been somewhat corrupted in modern usage, so as to mean Weakness. Someone who just agrees to do whatever he gets told; to keep the peace at whatever cost. I believe this to be a very bad perception, and is not in any way what Christian meekness should be about or in any way like the meekness of Christ. I suggest that it is important for us to appreciate meekness in the Christian sense, for gentleness is aligned so closely to it, and may be described as an aspect of meekness.

Let's take a look at;
2 CORITHIANS 10: 1-4

Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds)

When exercising meekness, a person may choose to adopt a stance or position of lowliness, a servantlike position for the purpose of helping others. This is a stance in which one does not become easily angered and is willing to yield, or be submissive of ones rights if it helps the objective of serving others and doing the will of God. Humility is another aspect of meekness. The meek person will not be puffed up, self-seeking or full of his own importance.

Our Lord Jesus with all His honour and glory, the greatest man that ever lived; God incarnate, yet he chose to put others first, and through adopting a position of meekness made Himself accessible and available to everyone. People came to Him because they saw in Him a man who would treat them with kindness and gentleness, no matter low their lives had sunk. One of our objectives as Christians is to develop a meek and gentle, Christ-like spirit that will assist us in helping others, and do God's will.

John 8: 3 - 11

And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

To most of us meekness and gentleness do not come naturally. I would suggest that with will power alone we may be left short of the mark. I believe that only with God's help, through His Holy Spirit will our progress in developing Christ-like meekness and gentleness be in any way signifIcant. But we are obliged to try, and if we will, with God's help we shall improve. Though well capable of sharp rebuke, this wasn't the norm, or shall we say ‘ usual' for Jesus. Blatant and stubborn sin with no desire of change might require this of him, but whenever it was possible, it seems that kindness and gentleness was preferential to the Saviour; and will it not be our preference too? Certainly in our dealings with others both within and without.

Christians should try to be characterized by these qualities. Many of those: around us, many of the people we meet each day are living lives which are going wrong. Perhaps they are struggling emotionally, or something may be happening which makes them feel that their life is simply falling apart. When we see people like that, whose lives are broken, we need to be gentle and be careful. Their lives are fragile, they are also precious. They may be broken, but they can be restored. Like the woman caught in adultery in John Chapter 8. The crowd wanted her punished, but Jesus says to them “If anyone of you is without sin let him be the first to throw a stone at her” (v7). Then he says to the woman “Has no-one condemned you?” “No-one sir” (she replies). “Then neither do I condemn you; .. go and sin no more" (says Christ).

Jesus was gentle in his dealings with people whose lives were broken and ’ not as they should be. His motivation was always about restoring them. The same should be for us.