To understand the meek
picture a great stallion at full gallop
in a meadow, who—
at his master’s voice—seizes up to a stunned
but instant halt.
So with the strain of holding that great power
in check, the muscles
along the arched neck keep eddying,
and only the velvet ears
prick forward, awaiting the next order.
~Mary Karr from “Who The Meek Are Not”

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Matthew 5:5

Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God.
James 1: 19-20

I’ve seen meekness like this, first hand.

Our stallion allowed his strength and passion to be under control.
He was eager to listen.
He wanted to see what we might ask of him.
He took instruction eagerly.
He never lashed back in anger.
He simply wanted to be with us.

Meekness and humility make no sense given
the world’s demand now for “strongman” leadership:
someone who submits to no one,
apologizes to no one,
blames others for what goes wrong,
feels compassion for no one.

Globally and individually, we have desperate need of meekness.
True strength is when someone knows the extent of their power but resists the need to prove it to anyone else.

The meek love this God who shares Himself,
who sacrifices for the bereft, and
whose great strength is obvious,
yet directed completely to our salvation.

Humble and Human, willing to bend
You are Fashioned of flesh and the fire of life,
You are Not too proud to wear our skin
To know this weary world we’re in
Humble, humble Jesus

Humble in sorrow,
You gladly carried Your cross
Never refusing Your life to the weakest of us
Not too proud to bear our sin
To feel this brokenness we’re in

Humble, humble Jesus
We bow our knees
We must decrease You must increase
We lift You high

Humble in greatness, born in the likeness of man
Name above all names, holding our world in Your hands
Not too proud to dwell with us, to live in us, to die for us

Humble, humble Jesus
We bow our knees
We must decrease You must increase
We lift You high
We bow our knees
We must decrease You must increase
We lift You high