“Whoever Believes…” p. 115
Hardly anything in Kingdom living cuts against the grain of worldly thinking more than the quality of being meek. The world’s philosophy is centered in a hard-charging, take-no-prisoners, self-assertive approach as the only means of gaining anything in this world. What you want in life must be taken by force – and only the forceful are able to get ahead and get what they desire.
Jesus came to show, and teach, us that the Kingdom way is infinitely better.
“Blessed are the meek” (not the forceful) for they are the ones who “will inherit the earth” …and without losing their soul (see Mt. 16:26; Mk. 8:36).
The quality of meekness, in the new nature, is best pictured, and understood, through Jesus. Meekness is not weakness, or cowardice – it is: great strength under control. Jesus had the power (as God with us) to exert His force over any of us – but He “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mt. 20:28; Mk. 10:45) Woven within His purpose was to subject Himself (“lay aside His Godly privileges”) to our needs: “For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines? But I am among you as one who serves.” (Jesus – Lk. 22:45)
What the world extols as proof of greatness/strength/power (i.e. one who is served) Jesus counteracts with a servant’s approach. The ultimate Person of greatness (Jesus!) laid that obvious greatness aside and took on the role of one who serves – willingly meeting the needs of humanity above His Own.
This same Kingdom attitude He also passed on to His disciples as a defining characteristic of the those who dwell in the Kingdom: “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all.” (Mk. 10 43-44) This meekness is the way of the Kingdom – just as Jesus came to demonstrate for us, Personally.
It is a choice that begins with an understanding… those of the Kingdom of God possess everything that the King possesses – sharing in His riches (1Pt. 1:4), and His Nature (2Pt. 1:4). But we do not approach the world around us with an attitude of profound prominence – we approach the world as those who seek only to give of ourselves daily, to meet the needs of those who live in the devastating lack that this world imposes on so many. What we have received freely (the King and His Kingdom) we give freely – and the Kingdom way of doing that, is to do it in great meekness (humility IN our great position).
What Jesus did (and His approach in doing what He did) He has imparted to us, as a Gift of the Kingdom – we will always be blessed in our meekness.
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