Article December 29, 1951 Issue

THE QUALITY OF MEEKNESS

DORIS M. SHABUSHNIG

In his Sermon on the Mount, Christ Jesus has given us the beatitude (Matt. 5:5), "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." From the context of this statement one can readily see that the Master considered meekness a good quality, one which should be cultivated. In our bustling modern world, through misunderstanding of the meaning of the word, meekness is sometimes disparagingly spoken of. That is perhaps because meekness and timidity are considered as almost synonymous. However, between these two a vast gulf lies.

Timidness is expressed in reluctance to attempt something new. One who is timid inherently fears failure and so, being fainthearted, attempts no forward step at all. Why should there be fear of failure in the first place? It is because timidness causes one to rely upon self, upon an imperfect sense of man as limited and mortal, separated from God and dependent only upon his own weak, foundationless selfhood. Timidness fears and falters because it has nothing substantial to rely upon.

Meekness on the other hand is a strong, positive quality. One who has true meekness does not rely on a selfhood separated from God, but relies wholeheartedly and completely on the Father. Meekness leads one to claim no power as of himself, but to realize that all power belongs to God.

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