Who Controls You?

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek,

 for they shall inherit the earth.

As we continue our study of the beatitudes – keep in mind what the Westminster confession states is our purpose for living – to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.  Since our behavior is to glorify God, we must factor that in as we seek to define these beatitudes.  If meekness is what some people are like just because they were beaten down as children or because their parents didn’t raise their voices or because they have some particular metabolism or personality, or they are afraid of people, God doesn’t get the glory for any of that, does He?  So, that can’t be meekness. 

I love to look at secular definitions of Biblical terms.  Here’s how a secular dictionary defines meek:  humbly patient or docile, as under provocation from others; overly submissive or compliant; spiritless; tame.  This is what was written about the antonym for the word meek.  Meek means shy or that you don’t stand out.  So, the opposite would probably be out-going, boisterous.  One of the meanings of boisterous is unrestrained – now that would probably be a good definition of the opposite of Biblical meekness.

There’s one more thing I like to do with a secular dictionary.  Many of them show obsolete definitions – definitions that no longer apply.  The “obsolete” definitions tend to be closest to the Biblical definitions.  My dictionary gave these obsolete definitions for the word meek.:. gentle; kind. That definition of meek is considered to be obsolete.

 Since my dictionary used the word docile to describe meekness, I looked that up.  It means:  easily managed or handled, readily trained or taught, teachable.  We are getting closer.

Here’s what my Bible dictionary says about meekness:  putting yourself after others in importance.  A person who is not proud or haughty or self-assertive.  Meekness is power under control. Yielding to the power of someone else.  Right there we can see the difference between worldly meekness and Biblical meekness.  It’s all in who you give the control to.

Consider your life.  We either yield control to someone else, or do what we feel is necessary to keep it for ourselves.  What is your tendency?  Do you give up for the sake of fear, or dread of confrontation or simply to keep someone else happy?  Do you dig your heals in the ground and fight to maintain control yourself?  


Do your reactions reflect your desire to please others or please yourself?  Neither is what God calls us to.  God calls us to please Him; to yield the control to Him.  He has it anyway.  Wisdom is walking in that truth.

What have you learned about Biblical meekness?