Meekness

"But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." - Psalms 37:11

Moses is described in Numbers 12:3 as the meekest man on earth. When I stop to ponder his life and the secret to his lowly greatness, a singular characteristic rises to the surface. I hope to skim this off and apply it to my own life.

Moses had a bulletproof confidence in God that was independent of the opinions others held about him. He had nothing to prove, nothing to lose. I fight and argue and push my views, trying to make up for a missing sense of security. Moses found his security in the God he served: nothing could change that, and he knew it.

Yesterday, reading through John 5 and minding my own business, this verse came around the corner and slapped me in the face. "How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that comes from God only?" (John 5:44) I like the approval of men. I like it a lot. But Jesus wants nothing less than our complete devotion to Him, free from the distractions inherent in trying to impress others.

It goes deeper than just being a show-off. Whenever I am anxious, or frustrated, or unkind, it betrays an unhealthy preoccupation with my self-image. Meekness is being humble enough to care what other people think without being vain enough to take it personally.