Blessed are the Meek

by Melissa Schaser, Pastor of Congregational Care

What is meekness? The image that first comes to my mind is someone who is especially shy or quiet. Which makes me wonder, Could I ever be meek, given my talkative, extroverted nature?

In Colossians, Paul places the virtue of meekness in the same category as compassion, kindness, humility, and patience, calling us to clothe ourselves in these traits (Col. 3:12). These qualities resonate so much more with me! Jesus offers compassion to those who are suffering, kindness to the outcasts, He humbled himself within society, He was patient with his disciples, and, of course, it took immeasurable meekness for Jesus, the Son of God, to become human, to dwell among us, and to endure the cross.

In our society we don’t often lift up meekness—we love the winners, the stars, the celebrities—and life was no different in the ancient world. Yet Jesus entered in, fully God and fully human, and chose to take the path of meekness. He spent most of his time in relationships, sharing, teaching, and speaking. Jesus demonstrated meekness by humbling himself and by listening to others, living a life of modesty and compassion, and demonstrating to the world the abundant and everlasting love of God.