MEEKNESS OF SPIRIT

 

I have always seen ‘power’ in the way Alma delivered himself and Amulek from prison. Consider the powerful expression of his faith in Jesus Christ by which a miracle of freedom was brought about: “O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ….” (Alma 14:26). This year, however, I saw something else. I saw meekness.

In light of Elder Bednar’s definition of meekness which is ‘distinguished by righteous responsiveness, willing submissives, and strong self-restraint’ (Meek and Lowly of Heart, General Conference 2018), Alma possessed this attribute in fulness. Alma and Amulek were verbally abused for many days by many lawyers and judges and priests and teachers (Ala 14:18,22). It was not until ‘the power of God’ was upon them that ‘they rose and stood upon their feet’ (v25). This should have been a hint for them all to scatter….. Waiting upon the Lord to deliver them showed incredible submissiveness, righteous responsiveness and strong self-restraint.

A close friend of mine defines meekness as ‘strength turned tender’. I love that definition.  Meek is being powerful and knowing when that power should be used and how it should be used. It means exercising incredible self-restraint in your strength. Elder Bednar defines it well: Meekness is strong, not weak; active, not passive; courageous, not timid; restrained, not excessive; modest, not self-aggrandizing; and gracious, not brash. A meek person is not easily provoked, pretentious, or overbearing and readily acknowledges the accomplishment of others.”

Meekness is a Christlike attribute. This is the characteristic the Lord used to describe Himself above all others He possessed: “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:29). Imagine if the Saviour did not possess meekness. I think He would have wiped us off the face of the earth a long time ago…. Lucky for us, His self-restraint when it comes to our wickedness, stubbornness and human weakness, affords us time to repent and change the course of our lives before the day of destruction.

The promise is if we walk in the meekness of the Saviour’s spirit, we will have peace (D&C 19:23). Think what that means in relation to righteous responsiveness to others, willing submissiveness to God’s plan for your life; and strong self-restraint when it comes to disciplining the desires of the flesh. Would not all these things give us peace?

Now consider what great gift to us the Saviour’s meekness was when He exercised righteous responsiveness and willing submission as He confronted the agonies of humanity in Gethsemane. And imagine if there was no self-restraint in Him when, despite all His power, He allowed weak, mere mortals to scourge Him and crucify Him. Imagine if He walked off that cross before He could say: “It is finished” (John 19:30). Where would we be today? I think the Saviour was chosen to be our Redeemer on the basis of His meekness as opposed to Lucifer who could never have subjected himself to such an unjust death because of His pride.

Mormon identified meekness as the foundation of all spiritual capacities and gifts and accentuated that none of us are acceptable before God ‘save the meek and lowly in heart’ (Moroni 7:42-44). This is the character of Christ, our Redeemer, who can gift us this attribute by virtue of our discipleship, if we seek it with all our hearts and desire to be like Him.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Be Still My Soul by Mark  Missman)

BLESSED ARE THE MEEK

 

“The Sermon on the Mount, including the Beatitudes, was delivered to true believers; to the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb (it was their ordination sermon), to the saints of the Most High God; to members of the Church of Jesus Christ; to people who had been baptize and who were in process of seeking the riches of eternity. To them – after holding out the blessed and sanctified wonders of gospel obedience, as these are stated in the Beatitudes – Jesus now says: “Ye are the salt of the earth….Ye are the light of the world.” That is to say: ‘Ye are the choicest and best people on earth; and ye must now be an example to all men, that others seeing your good works, shall come unto me and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah Book 2, p. 127)

 

Out of all the Beatitudes, I am most taken by this one: Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Even though the Saviour proclaimed himself to be “meek and lowly of heart” (Matt 11:29), He did not inherit the earth whilst here because as things are now constituted, the meek shall not inherit the earth until that fateful day when all things shall be done away with and the earth will receive its celestial glory. 

 

So many of us are clinging to earthly possessions and aspire to acquire more. The Saviour had neither gold nor silver nor houses nor lands nor kingdoms when He was here. The riches of this world were but a fleeting moment in time for Him and He had no interest in them. So lowly was the Saviour that he directed Peter when the tax collector came to catch a fish in whose mouth was lodged a coin, to pay a levied tax for both of them (Matthew 17:24-27). So much power yet ‘foxes had holes, and birds of the air had nests; but the Son of man had nowhere to lay His head’ (Luke 9:58). The self-restraint in using His power only for the good of others is beyond commendation. Such is the God we worship and follow, such is the God we love…..are we ready to let go off the world and be the salt of the earth and the light of the world???

 

 

 - CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Artist Unknown)