BLESSED ARE THE MEEK

Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek.” If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, meekness is not optional. In the original language of the Bible the word for meek is PRAEIS, which has different levels of meaning. On the surface it can mean mild or humble. The stereotype of what people think Christians are like – mild and humble, kind of weak, kind of spineless, kind of wimpy, they wear a lot of polyester, they say “Praise the Lord.” It fits the stereotype.

But there’s deeper meaning to this word and it’s the one I really want you to get. In the Greek, the word was often used to describe animals whose naturally wild spirit had to be broken by a trainer. Why did that spirit have to be broken by a trainer? So they could become useful.
So if you imagine in your mind a stallion, an incredible horse that can run like the wind, that can pull plows through a field. That’s not a picture of weakness. But a tamed stallion, that’s the image that he’s representing.

MEEK IS STRENGTH UNDER CONTROL. That’s the tame stallion. Strength under control. Being meek is simply more than just being nice. It’s actually courage under fire. It’s strength. It’s conviction but with a gentle spirit that comes from God’s infusion in your life. It doesn’t come from your own spirit. The spirit of meekness is actually the spirit of Jesus.

“JESUS WHO SUFFERED FOR YOU IS YOUR EXAMPLE. FOLLOW IN HIS STEPS. HE NEVER SINNED AND HE NEVER DECEIVED ANYONE. HE DID NOT RETALIATE WHEN HE WAS INSULTED. WHEN HE SUFFERED, HE DID NOT THREATEN TO GET EVEN. HE LEFT HIS CASE IN THE HANDS OF GOD WHO ALWAYS JUDGES FAIRLY.” 1 PETER 2:21-23 (NLT)