Introduction
Meekness is an attitude or quality of the heart – as seen in 1 Peter 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price – whereby a person willingly accepts and submits without resistance to the will and desire of someone else. The meek person is not self-willed, not continually concerned with self, his own ways, ideas, and wishes. Meekness, basically speaking, is the opposite of self-will, self-interest, and self-assertiveness. It is power under control.
Therefore, to be meek is to be humble, to be lowly, to be gentle, to be submissive, to be patient, to be quiet, to be unresisting, and unruffled. In the world, the meek is despised; the humble is not reckoned with, the lowly is trampled upon and life squeezed out of those who are gentle and submissive like the worm. However, the principle of Christ is very different, He says, blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth (Matt 5:5).
The display of meekness or humility toward God is an admission of our own weakness, sinfulness, unprofitability, and inability to obtain or accomplish by ourselves the things we need. This is where faith: an absolute reliance, total dependence on God comes in. All through the scriptures, meekness is primarily emphasized as submissiveness toward God (rather than toward men). It is the meek that constantly look up on to God for every need.