Meekness is humility. It is to be gentle and subject to one another and to recognize our place before our Heavenly Father who created us from the dust.
Required to walk humbly with God
"With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come
before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with
thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my
transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed you, O man,
what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love
kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:6-8)
Meek because by obeying we are only doing our duty
"So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy
servants; we have only done what was our duty.’" (Luke 17:10)
God will humble us to test our hearts
"And you shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you these forty years
in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart,
whether you would keep his commandments, or not." (Deuteronomy 8:2)
We are sheep and must be guided by the Shepherd
"O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! For he is
our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand." (Psalm 95:6-7)
Humble like a little child
"Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
(Matthew 18:4)
Clothed with humility towards one another
"Likewise you that are younger be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you,
with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt you."
(1 Peter 5:5,6)
Forbearing and forgiving with meekness
"Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness,
meekness, and patience, forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another,
forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive."
(Colossians 3:12)
Defend the faith with gentleness and reverence
"Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope
that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence; and keep your conscience clear, so
that, when you are abused, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame."
(1 Peter 3:15,16)
Correct with a spirit of gentleness
"Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual should restore
him in a spirit of gentleness. Look to yourself, lest you too be tempted." (Galatians 6:1)
Maintain unity through meekness
"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to
which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one
another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
(Ephesians 4:1-3)
Must be gentle to all
"Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for
any honest work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show
perfect courtesy toward all men." (Titus 3:1,2)
Correcting opponents with gentleness
"And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to every one, an apt teacher,
forbearing, correcting his opponents with gentleness." (2 Timothy2:24,25)
Receive the word with meekness
"Know this, my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to
anger, for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all
filthiness and rank growth of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word,
which is able to save your souls." (James 1:19-21)
God’s wisdom is gentle
"But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of
mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insincerity." (James 3:17)
Exercise:
1. We all need to be exercised in meekness. Look at the lives of Moses and Jesus and describe how they exhibited meekness in their lives. (Moses: Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy; Jesus: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
2. God has promised to exalt those who humble themselves and there are many blessings that come as a result of meekness. Look up the following verses and find out what the blessings are. (2 Chronicles 7:14; Psalm 10:17; Proverbs 29:23; Isaiah 57:15; Proverbs 3:34; Psalm 113:5-7; Matthew 23:12; Proverbs 18:4; Psalm 22:25; Psalm 25:9; Psalm 37:11; Psalm 76:9; Psalm 147:4; Isaiah 11:4; Isaiah 29:19; Zephaniah 2:3)
Quotations taken from The Revised Standard Version