Are you meek?
One fruit of the Holy Spirit is gentleness. (Gal 5,22)The Greek word for this is "praotes," which means gentle or considerate; it expresses what is meant by "a soul of a person." Gentleness and consideration are used interchangeably in some Bible translations, such as the New Geneva Translation (NGÜ).
The Bible places great emphasis on gentleness and consideration. It states: "The meek will inherit the earth." (Mt 5,5)Gentleness, however, is not a very popular or widespread word today. Our society is obsessed with being aggressive. To get ahead, you have to swim with the sharks. We live in a dog-eat-dog world, and the weak are quickly pushed aside. However, it is a big mistake to equate gentleness with weakness. Gentleness or consideration is not a weakness. Jesus described himself as a gentle person, and he was far from a weak, spineless coward who avoided all problems. (Mt 11,29)He was not indifferent to his surroundings or the needs of others.
Many legendary historical figures like Lincoln, Gandhi, Einstein, and Mother Teresa were gentle and considerate, but not fearful. They didn't need to demonstrate their importance to others. They had the intention and the ability to face any obstacle placed in their path. This inner resolve is very valuable to God. (1. Petr 3,4)It actually takes a great deal of inner strength to be truly gentle. Gentleness is described as strength under control.
It is interesting that before the Christian era the word gentle was rarely heard and the word gentleman was not known. This high quality of character is actually a direct by-product of the Christian era. Being meek or considerate shows itself in what we think about ourselves and what we think of others.
How do we deal with others when we have power over them? Blessed is the man who does not hold back more than he should, when others praise and promote him, compared to the time in life when he was still a nobody.
We should be careful with the words we say.Spr 15,1; 25:11-15). We should be careful how we treat others. (1 Thess 2,7)We should be friendly in our dealings with all people. (Phil 4,5)It is not our beauty that God values in us, but our kind and balanced nature. (1 Petr 3,4)A gentle person is not looking for confrontation. (1 Kor 4,21)A lenient person is kind to those who make mistakes, knowing that the mistake could just as easily have happened to them! (Gal 6,1)God calls us to be kind and patient to everyone and to treat each other with compassion and love. (Eph 4,2)When someone who possesses divine gentleness is asked to respond, they do so confidently, not with an aggressive attitude, but with gentleness and due respect. (1 Petr 3,15).
Remember, people with a meek character do not impute false motives to others while they justify their own behavior, as illustrated in the following account:
The other
- When the other one needs a long time, he is slow.
If I take a long time, I am thorough. - If the other one does not, he is lazy.
If I do not do it, I'm busy. - When the other person does something without being told, he goes beyond his limits.
When I do, I take the initiative. - If the other overlooks a graces, he is rude.
If I ignore the rules, I am original. - If the other one satisfies the boss, he is a slime.
If I like the boss, I cooperate. - If the other one gets on, he's lucky.
If I manage to get on, it's because I worked hard.
A gentle boss will treat staff the way they want to be treated - not just because it's right, but because he knows he might one day work for them.
by Barbara Dahlgren
