The Power of the Meek
BEATTA SCHULTZ, COMPEL Pro Member
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“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5 (NIV)
When I was 8 years old, I knew I was not meek. I had no problem standing up for myself with my older sister. I also knew that because of my bossiness, I deserved the occasional correction from my parents.
During that time, I received a pink, flowery card in Sunday school that was printed with the Beatitudes, a list of blessings from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. When I told my mom how pretty I thought it was, she wisely — and I suspect hopefully — placed the card on a shelf at my height so I could read it often.
And I did, but I always got stuck on Matthew 5:5: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”
I remember wondering if God would give me a heavenly pass on that … since He is the One who created me uniquely to be my non-meek self.
Many years later, while preparing to teach a class on the Sermon on the Mount, I looked up the biblical definition of the Greek word for “meek”and discovered that it can also mean “strength under control.”
A lightbulb turned on in my mind.
I had been viewing meekness through a worldly lens, envisioning someone who lingered on the periphery of activity, unwilling to assert themselves or uncomfortable expressing an opinion. However, when viewed through the lens of strength under control, I began to see this Beatitude through new eyes.
The meek who are blessed in our key verse are those who choose to be meek. Those with strong dispositions and opinions can choose self-control when God prompts them. The verse becomes less about the power of our personality and more about the blessing of obedience.
By using self-control, we may yield in discussions, allowing space for others to express their opinions. Though we may want to sit in the driver’s seat, we can take a back seat when God nudges us to do so. When we love others by learning to control our personality, we are meek in a way that pleases God.
That flowery card set in motion a lifelong lesson. I observed how God creates all temperaments, and He may ask us to surrender certain personality traits to Him at points in our lives. There are times when God, for His purposes, encourages the quiet to be bold and courageous. There are times when He urges the loud to whisper with self-control.
That bossy little girl grew up, and I now understand that personality does not dictate the blessings Jesus promises. Those blessings come from our obedience to God and from His loving grace toward us.
Lord, please tune my spiritual ears to hear Your whispers in my heart. Help me yield to Your will, especially when my way would be more to my liking. Your ways are mysterious and mighty. Please help me cooperate with You through obedience today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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FOR DEEPER STUDY
Zephaniah 3:12, “But I will leave within you the meek and humble. The remnant of Israel will trust in the name of the LORD” (NIV).
Can you recall a time when you thought God might have been speaking to you, but you ignored Him because what He said would've moved you out of your comfort zone?
How will you respond the next time God speaks in your heart? Share your thoughts in the comments.
© 2025 by Beatta Schultz. All rights reserved.
