Fruit of the Spirit: Meekness

We are examining the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23. The fruit of the Spirit describes the kind of character and lifestyle you are to have as a person who has the Holy Spirit. If you are walking in step with the Spirit—that is, in step with his Word—you will have real love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and the quality that we are looking at this week: meekness.

Meekness is a misunderstood quality. Many people think of a meek person as a person with no backbone, a pushover, a wimp. It doesn't mean that at all. Moses and Jesus were meek—but they were not wimps!

Moses was the meekest man on earth (Numbers 12:3). He went to Pharaoh and said, "Let my people go," and, in effect, told Pharaoh to give up his entire slave labor force, which was at the heart of Egypt's military and economic superiority, to give it up without remuneration, and to do it now!

Christ described himself as meek. In Matthew 11:28-30 he said, "Come to Me, all who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will refresh you. Put My yoke on you and learn from Me; I am meek and humble in heart, and you will discover refreshment for your souls. My yoke is easy to wear and My burden is light." But we know that Christ had tremendous strength and backbone.

What is meekness? The word is used to describe a wild, powerful horse that has been tamed and is now submissive to the rider. Meekness has been described as quiet strength. The Kid Zone, (our children’s after-school program) uses the definition that "meekness is being willing to give up my rights in order to put others first. Meekness waits for God to bring about justice." Meekness is a quality that is a blend of humility, gentleness and courage or boldness. We saw it last week in Luke 7:36-50, in the story of Jesus and the forgiven prostitute. Simon didn't approve of this woman; he wanted Jesus to reject her. But instead, Jesus paid attention to her, talked with her, and assured her of his forgiveness and her faith; He acted with humility, gentleness, and boldness. Jesus didn't treat her as beneath him, even though morally, she was. This is also how he treated Judas when he washed his feet, and the three disciples when they fell asleep in the garden.

Meekness is a quality that Jesus expects you to have in your relationships with others; it is much needed. The need for meekness is clear in Galatians 6:1-2.

Galatians 6:1-2

1 Brothers, even if a person is caught in some trespass, you who have the Spirit should restore him in a spirit of meekness, watching out for yourself so that you won't be tempted too. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill Christ's law.

You need to have meekness because you have the responsibility to restore those who have fallen into sin. Christians are susceptible to falling into sin, straying from God, and really messing up their lives. It happens more than it should, and it happens to younger and older Christians alike.

For example, believers may have marriage problems and need help; someone may fall into adultery; a person may become deeply depressed; others try to escape difficult circumstances through drugs or alcohol; and some get distracted by the world and simply drift away from God. You probably know someone in trouble. Perhaps you've been there yourself.

What does God want you to do when he puts a wounded Christian friend in your path? He doesn't want you to 1) ignore them, 2) gossip about them, 3) write them off, or 4) condemn them. Rather, God wants you to work to restore them.

In Bible times, the word restore was used by doctors about setting a bone. When a broken bone was set and healed, it would become useful again—restored. Also, fishermen would use the same word about mending their ripped nets. After the nets were mended they were useful again—restored.

When a brother that you know falls into sin and away from God, God wants you to go to him, extend your hand to pull him out of the swamp of sin that he has fallen into, and help him to become useful again in the body of Christ. He has God-given gifts to be used, and without him, the rest of the body suffers.

Isn't that the responsibility of the pastor and elders? Read the verses again: "you who have the Spirit ...." Some translations say "you who are spiritual" but that simply means "those who have the Holy Spirit," which means all Christians. Now, if you are stuck in sin yourself, obviously you can't help. But otherwise you should be willing and ready to go. (If you aren't successful at extricating the erring brother, then others must be enlisted, including the elders, but that is further down the road of church discipline.)

Where does meekness fit into your responsibility to restore a fallen brother? When you go to your brother in meekness, it means you go to him in humility. You go as one sinner to another, realizing you are no better than he is; but for the grace of God, you would be in the same place. In fact, because you know you are susceptible to falling into sin, you are very wise and careful in your effort to restore your fallen brother so you won't fall into sin with him. That is humility.

Along with humility, there is gentleness. You know that the way of the transgressor is hard; he is already beaten up enough from his sinful choices. A meek person doesn't kick a person who he is down. He is gentle in his speech and in his actions (2 Tim. 2:22; 1 Cor. 4:21).

In addition to the humility and gentleness, a meek person has courage or boldness. You need courage to go to an erring brother; it is just plain hard to do! You might be afraid of how he will respond to you. If it is a friend, you might be afraid he will end the friendship—but if you are meek, you go anyway, and you courageously speak the truth in love to your fallen comrade.
How do you grow in meekness? Meekness grows in the heart of a believer who is aware of his own sinfulness and is grieved by it. This awareness of sin fosters humility and gentleness.

Meekness grows also in the heart of a believer who knows he is loved and forgiven by Christ, who was condemned in his place. Since a believer is loved, forgiven, and accepted by the Father, he knows that God is for him and with him, so he has the courage to do the work of restoring his erring brother.

Finally, meekness grows in the heart of a believer who is learning to love his neighbor as himself. Love is other-centered, so the believer who loves his fallen brother will overcome his own fear and, instead of giving in to it, find the courage and gentleness to try to rescue that brother.

How will you respond?

Discussion: "Meekness is a quality that is a blend of humility, gentleness and courage." Which of these qualities do you most need to strengthen?

Do you know someone who is caught in sin and has fallen away from God, or is drifting away? Perhaps it's a family member or someone at work. God is asking you to go. Jesus said, "Love one another as I have loved you." Jesus loved you by bearing your burden of sin on the cross and dying for it. He didn't stand by and watch you suffer under the burden of your sin. He bore it so that you could be freed from sin and able to love him and others. So like Jesus, you go, and go with meekness.

Are there specific situations where you need meekness? Pray together with the men in your group for God to help you grow in meekness.