Good morning and happy Wednesday! It is midweek, and that means it is time for another edition of Wisdom Wednesday. Last week I wrote about the virtue of moderation. This week I want to explore the often forgotten about virtue of meekness.
Meekness is a potential aspect of human nature and behavior that appears to be mostly absent in our antagonistic, self-absorbed society. It has been defined numerous ways: restraint, practical, humble, submissive; a characteristic of a proper disciple. It is often compared with humility as referring to conduct regarding others, where humbleness refers to a way of thinking about yourself. Meekness means restricting your power in respect of giving way to others. It is opposite of arrogance, conceit, egotism, pride.
Have you ever known anyone who is selfless in their actions? This was once a great virtue to bestow; now many people link a person who displays meekness as someone who is powerless and vulnerable; a personality of tolerance and submissiveness. Many people today do not have a high regard for others that are “meek” as they see this as more of a character flaw than a virtuous characteristic. Despite its unpopularity, this virtue, often synonymous with humbleness, needs to make a comeback in our society.
10 Wisdom Wednesday Quotes: Meekness
- “One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.”― Helen Keller, The Story of My Life
- “Who cares who’s right or wrong? The greatest of all is the one to meekly apologize.”― Richelle E. Goodrich
- “Humility is not cowardice. Meekness is not weakness. Humility and meekness are indeed spiritual powers.”—Swami Sivananda
- “Meekness is when you are in a position of strength and power–yet you choose not to use that power against your opponent, your critic, your accuser, your persecutor.”—Michael Youssef, 15 Secrets to a Wonderful Life
- “Be not proud of race, face, place, or grace.”—Charles Haddon Spurgeon
- “Glances of true beauty can be seen in the faces of those who live in true meekness.” – Henry David Thoreau
- “The meek man is not a human mouse afflicted with a sense of his own inferiority. He has accepted God’s estimate of his own life: In himself, nothing; In God, everything. He knows well that the world will never see him as God sees him and he has stopped caring.”—A.W. Tozer
- “Meekness is the mask of malice.”— Robert Ingersoll
- “It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly Than to divide the spoil with the proud.” – Proverbs 16:19
- “To be truly meek means we no longer protect ourselves, because we see there is nothing worth defending… The man who is truly meek never pities himself, he is never sorry for himself.”— Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
