Perhaps it is just our culture, and then again, perhaps not – but I cannot ever recall being preached to about the blessedness of meekness. I think that for most, meekness is automatically confused with or equated to – weakness. They sound too much alike. And yet, here is Christ enjoining meekness such that its possession is tied to the eternal inheritance of the saints.

I will gladly own that Christians must be bold and uncompromising. Many of us are far too possessed of a spirit of cowardice today. On the other hand, bravery and boldness are not to be confused with brashness and harshness any more than meekness is to be confused with weakness.

In Alexander MacLaren’s sermon of meekness in his series on the beatitudes – he makes so many powerful comments on meekness, that I feel compelled to share just some of them.

What is below are just a few snippets from that sermon. I pray you will consider them, especially in the context of the present combativeness of some Church leadership and Christians striving for their way – whether it is God’s or no, and the tenor of public discourse in our land.

And if you do not have time to peruse them all – PLEASE, read except 6. It is as powerful as it is timely.

1 – Now, the ordinary use of the word is to describe an attitude, or more properly a disposition, in regard to men, especially in regard to those who depreciate, or wrong, or harm us. But the Christian conception of meekness, whilst it includes that, goes far deeper; and, primarily, has reference to our attitude, or rather our disposition, towards God. And in that aspect, what is it? Meek endurance and meek obedience, the accepting of His dealings, of whatever complexion they are, and however they may tear or desolate our hearts, without murmuring, without sulking, without rebellion or resistance, is the deepest conception of the meekness which Christ pronounces blessed.¹¹ MacLaren, Alexander. Expositions of Holy Scripture: Matthew 1–8. Logos Bible Software, 2009, pp. 126–27.

2 – The ox that kicks against the goads only does two things thereby; it does not get away from them, but it wounds its own hocks, and it drives the sharp points deeper into the ragged wounds. Let Him strike, dear friend, for when He strikes He cuts clean; and there is no poison on the edge of His knife. Meekness towards God is, first, patient endurance of His Will.¹¹ MacLaren, Alexander. Expositions of Holy Scripture: Matthew 1–8. Logos Bible Software, 2009, p. 127.

3 – And, in reference to Him, it is, next, unquestioning docility and obedience. Its seat is in the will. When the will is bowed, a man is far on his road to perfection; and the meaning of all that God does with us—joys and sorrows, light and darkness, when His hand gives, and when His hand withdraws, as when His authoritative voice commands, and the sweet impulses of His love graciously constrain—is that our wills may be made plastic and flexible, like a piece of wrought leather, to every touch of His hand. True meekness goes far deeper down than any attitude towards men. It lays hold on the sovereign will of God as our supreme good, and delights in absolutely and perfectly conforming itself thereto.¹¹ MacLaren, Alexander. Expositions of Holy Scripture: Matthew 1–8. Logos Bible Software, 2009, pp. 127–28.

4 – The truly meek heart remains unprovoked amidst all provocation. Most men are like dogs that answer bark for bark, and only make night hideous and themselves hoarse thereby. But it is our business to meet evil with good; and the more we are depreciated, the more we are harmed, the more we are circled about by malice and by scorn, the more patiently and persistently to love on.¹¹ MacLaren, Alexander. Expositions of Holy Scripture: Matthew 1–8. Logos Bible Software, 2009, p. 128.

5 – sure I am that the one thing that puts out the fire of antagonism and wrath and malice in those who dislike or would harm us is that we should persistently shine upon, and perchance overcome, evil with good. Provoked, we remain, if we are truly meek, masters of ourselves and calm and equable, and so are blessed in ourselves. Meekness makes no claims upon others. Plenty of people are sore all over with the irritation caused by not getting what they consider due respect. They howl and whine because they are not appreciated. Do not expect much of men. Make no demands, if for no better reason than because the more you demand the less you will get; and the less you seem to think to be your due, the more likely you are to receive what you desire.¹¹ MacLaren, Alexander. Expositions of Holy Scripture: Matthew 1–8. Logos Bible Software, 2009, pp. 128–29.

6 – But there is another thing to be taken into account in the description of meekness. That grace, as the example of our Lord shows, harmonises with undaunted bravery and strenuous resistance to the evil in the world. On our own personal account, there are to be no bounds to our patient acceptance of personal wrong; on the world’s account, there are to be no bounds to our militant attitude against public evils. Only let us remember that ‘the wrath of men worketh not the righteousness of God.’ If contending theologians, and angry philanthropists, and social reformers, that are ready to fly at each other’s throats for the sacred cause of humanity, would only remember that there is no good to be done except in this spirit, there would be more likelihood of the errors and miseries of mankind being redressed than, alas! there is to-day. Gentleness is the strongest force in the world, and the soldiers of Christ are to be priests, and to fight the battles of the Kingdom, robed, not in jingling, shining armour or with sharp swords, nor with fierce and eager bitterness of controversy, but in the meekness which overcomes. You may take all the steam-hammers that ever were forged and batter at an iceberg, and, except for the comparatively little heat that is developed by the blows and melts some small portion, it will be ice still, though pulverised instead of whole. But let it get into the silent drift of the Arctic current, and let it move quietly down to the southward, then the sunbeams smite its coldness to death, and it is dissipated in the warm ocean. Meekness is conqueror. ‘Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.’¹¹ MacLaren, Alexander. Expositions of Holy Scripture: Matthew 1–8. Logos Bible Software, 2009, pp. 129–30.

7 – Now, there is a sharp test for us Christian people.

If I have learned myself, and have penitently received God’s pardon, I shall be meek with God and with man. If I am not meek with God and with man, have I received God’s pardon? One great reason why so many of you Christian people have so little consciousness of God’s forgiving mercy, as a constant joy in your lives, is because you have so little obeyed the commandment, ‘Be ye imitators of God, and walk in love, as God hath forgiven and loved us.’¹

¹ MacLaren, Alexander. Expositions of Holy Scripture: Matthew 1–8. Logos Bible Software, 2009, pp. 131–32.

8 – There is a present inheritance of the earth which goes, as certainly as the shadow with the sunshine, with the meekness spoken of in our text. Not literal, of course, for it is not true that this Christian grace has in it any tendency whatever to draw to itself material good of any sort. The world in outward possession belongs to the strong men, to the men of faculty, of force and push and ambition. If you want to get through a crowd, make your elbows as sharp, and your feet upon the toes of your neighbours as heavy as you can, and a road will be made for you; but, in the majority of eases, the meek man on the edge of the crowd will stop there.¹¹ MacLaren, Alexander. Expositions of Holy Scripture: Matthew 1–8. Logos Bible Software, 2009, p. 133.