Jan 26
Meekness
Fruit of the spirit is described with nine parts and all work in harmony
χρηστότης Chrestos
Not surprisingly one Greek word covers kindness, gentleness, & meekness. That word is chrestotes, which means moral goodness, integrity, usefulness, benignity, and beneficence, or the sympathetic sweetness of temper
The Greek word for meekness is praos, which pertains to not being overly impressed by a sense of self-importance, and can also mean the state of being gentle, humble, courteous, and considerate.
Praos is also willing to obey and allow the Lord to guide. Without pride getting us mad at God for Him changing our direction. We often think for our harm but it is really for our benefit. We must submit when we are meek.
“praos we understand that we must begin with humility, integrity, and a benevolent temperament. Humility is the opposite of self-importance. Humility is being able to laugh at one’s self and be comfortable with your own imperfection. Humility is gladly being a team player and not needing to always be in the spotlight. Humility means not being rude or arrogant, and having respect for rules and boundaries. Humility means humbly submitting our lives to God because we know we can’t do it right on our own.” From https://themanofesto.com/2011/08/10/the-fruits-of-the-spirit-kindness-gentleness-goodness-meekness/
We are to be meek (yielded, teachable, responsive) first of all in our relationship with God, and secondly meek (humble, gentle, respectful) in our relationships with people. To become this kind of person, God must tame and train us!
Meekness is an important part of true love. “Love is patient, love is kind . . . It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5, New International Version).
Meekness is related to the word “magnanimous” A word with a closely-related meaning is magnanimous, defined as “generous in forgiving; avoiding resentment or revenge; unselfish.”
However, be aware that gentleness refers mostly to actions, whereas meekness refers to attitude—one’s whole state of mind as well as actions. Meekness produces gentleness
Meekness is not weakness!
Many people confuse “meek” with “weak.” It’s regrettable that they rhyme because godly meekness requires strength! Yet we are to be weak and dependant as children when it comes to our relation to our Heavenly Father. When we trust Him we let go to His ways not our own and then we are strong to those around us. Strong to love and strong to continue bringing peace to all the rage around us. Strength that only comes by submitting to GODS POWER and His protection.
Pro 16:32
Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
But true strength is shown by a secure individual who stays cool, thinks first and then responds in the way that will best help the other person. “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1).
Consider God! He is all-powerful, but He never misuses His power. He is the perfect Father who never overreacts, is gentle with His often-unruly children and always does what is best for us.
Consider also the example Jesus Christ set while on earth. Although He could call on divine power, He was approachable, sympathetic, kind and loving. He said, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly [humble] in heart” (Matthew 11:29, emphasis added throughout). He used His power for healing rather than hurting. Remember His words: “Learn from Me.”
My source to change the world is not revenge or guns. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that makes me a witness for Christ!
Fruit of the Holy Spirit
The greatest power on earth is the power of the Holy Spirit. It is this Spirit—God’s Spirit—that enables people to be far more meek and gentle than they could ever be without it, as Paul shows in his letter to the churches of Galatia.
When we received the holy spirit we became children of God, when we walk or flow with the spirit we become more like God. The fruit of the spirit items are all characteristics of Our Father the Creature of the universe.
Then, to continue bearing spiritual fruit, think of yourself as a branch. The key is to stay attached to the trunk of the true vine, Jesus Christ (John 15:1-6).
Yes He is our source of Love Joy Peace Gentleness Meekness and God was His example and Source. We must meditate and commune with the God in Christ in US to have the fruit!
It’s easy to see how the attributes among the fruit of the Spirit overlap and relate to each other. Meekness and gentleness relate very closely to love, longsuffering (being patient and not short-tempered), kindness and self-control.
There are nine things that are called the fruit of the spirit not the fruits of the spirit.
Meekness is a quality of the Fruit that comes from Christ and it all works as one clump of grapes growing from one single branch not nine.
“Fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timo- thy 6:11-12). This kind of fight is not against people but against evil influences, especially those of Satan and the demons (Ephesians 6:11-12). We are to use spiritual weapons, not physical weapons (2 Corinthians 10:4)
We fight the biggest battles on our knees in spiritual prayer.
Successful spiritual warfare requires great courage and endurance. Paul wrote, “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13).
But in our relationships with people, we are not to be combative or argumentative—we are to be peacemakers.
To everyone, Peter wrote, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15, NIV).
Grow in meekness and gentleness
To keep your attitudes and actions meek and gentle, you will need to swim upstream against the culture’s current of rudeness and roughness. Paul foretold that “in the last days . . . men will be lovers of themselves . . . unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal” (2 Timothy 3:1-3). Doesn’t that describe much of the content on television and in movies?
God is calling people out of such darkness to be “the light of the world”—to set the right example for others (Matthew 5:14). That’s a tall order. But God is ever ready to help us. Pray earnestly for His help. And make a habit of reading God’s Word so it can transform your thinking and way of life.
Remember that an important part of being that shining light is having godly meekness and gentleness. And someday the whole world will be a peaceful and happy place. That someday is when Christ returns and the meek inherit the earth!
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If you think meek is weak I remind you of a man who was able to confront the King of the most powerful empire of the day Egypt. A man you could do miracles that out did the best scientists or magicians of the day. A man able to part the Red sea and lead Israel out of bondage…Moses
Num 12:3
Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.
The word was praus in Greek translation of the LXX and anav in the Masoretic Hebrew.
Similar words both can be translated as “poor, weak, humble, lowly” and this is a negative characteristic and a personality disorder to be corrected with self assertation and sel-esteem. But no it is the right way to be in relation with God the Almighty and be gentle and have self control with those around.
Psa 25:8
Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
Psa 25:9
He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
Psa 147:6
The LORD lifts up the humble;[fn]
he casts the wicked to the ground.
Zec 9:9
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Jesus was meek or humble and so was Moses. Yet God crushed their enemies by His power unleashed through their humbleness and dependence on God. Not on their own flesh or weapons of flesh.
Moses was more meek than any man and that is why Moses was chosen. He was faithful and dependent on God not his own strength or personality. Aaron and Miriam was not like that and they confronted Moses. When they did Moses was still meek but God took care of them.
Moses was accused by his own family of being proud when he was in reality the most humble of all!
Num 12:2
And they said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the LORD heard it
Num 12:6-9 “Then He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. I speak with him face to face, Even plainly, and not in dark sayings; And he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant Moses?” So the anger of the LORD was aroused against them, and He departed.”
Num 12:10
When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous,[fn] like snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous.
Num 12:10
When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous,[fn] like snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous.
Num 12:12
Let her not be as one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother’s womb.
Num 12:13
And Moses cried to the LORD, “O God, please heal her—please.”
You can see that Moses was genuinely humble and meek and gentle toward others. He did not get angry and say “good now you know the judgement of God fools!” Now he cried out and interceded for them. He brought peace and forgiveness and that was the character of Our Lord Jesus and our God. Not war and revenge but love and peace. It takes a person meek to God to be powerful enough to save and heal. It take only a loser to get mad and look for self motivated revenge. That is not our purpose here, God can handle making everything right.