12 Days of Christmas: Day #6 Jesus is MEEK

When Jesus came down to earth, He did so in the humble form of a baby. He did not arrive as a full-grown man complete with military strength, regalia, and fanfare to initiate His mission. Instead, He arrived quietly, as a tiny baby who would humbly endure the necessary years of growing to prepare for His ultimate mission.¹

He was meek in His presence and in His conduct. He didn’t hurry along any of His mission–He patiently waited for the fullness of God’s timing and God’s will. He remained patient and controlled in His waiting and, ultimately, in His suffering. This is the beautiful meekness of Christ. 

Meekness is not weakness. Jesus did not surrender His power so that He could become meek. Instead, meekness involves possessing power, but keeping that power under control. It involves humbly waiting to act or react when suffering comes. It is humbly trusting and waiting for God to act and exalt, if it be His will, rather than stepping up and out in self-promotion and status seeking.  

Jesus possessed all of this meekness. He refused to reveal His identity as Messiah before it was time, though His brothers taunted Him to declare His status more publicly at the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:5). He hesitated to perform His first miracle (at the request of His mother) because of the timing of the revelation of His Messiahship (John 2). Jesus was fully surrendered to the timing of His Father in every facet of His life. 

Jesus’ meekness is most powerfully seen in Isaiah 53:7. Here, Scripture states: “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, but He did not open His mouth.” Jesus did not respond in any fashion except humility and surrender. He did not open His mouth to defend Himself. He did not open His mouth to accuse His oppressors of harming the Son of God. He did not plead for mercy from those who beat Him.

Instead, in beautiful meekness–in unparalleled power under control–He endured the pain and the shame of His trial, the brutal beatings, and the crucifixion. 

Would you be able to respond with such meekness? Would you be able to bridle your power in great self-control for the glory of God? 

It may be impossible in your own strength, but in the power of the Holy Spirit–walking in step with that Spirit–you, too, could likely do this. Self-control and gentleness (another word for meekness) are both attributes of the fruit of the Spirit. The life of someone living in the Spirit will be marked by the fruit of the Spirit, in their conduct with others and in their worship of the Lord. 

Paul challenges believers to “put on” or “clothe themselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience (Colossians 3:12). To do this, he encourages them to dwell richly in the Word of God. We, too, are encouraged and challenged to do this in our lives today, as we seek to learn about Christ, to follow Christ, and to reflect Christ to others. 

As you seek to reflect Christ, what are some areas in which you struggle to demonstrate  meekness?

How does Jesus’ example of meekness affect your adoration and worship of Him? 

How would your growing in meekness affect your hope and your joy?  

Take time to pray right now. Thank Jesus for His incredible demonstration of meekness in coming to earth, living among us, and then suffering and dying for us. Thank Him for the promise of the Holy Spirit to help us live in meekness as well. Confess any ways you struggle to be meek and ask for forgiveness. Ask for the Lord’s strength as you face each day, ready to navigate any challenges that arise–in suffering, in being overlooked, or in waiting on the Lord’s timing for answered prayer–in absolute meekness. Thank Him for His example and His all-sufficient grace that helps us to have His power in our weakness and His mercy in meekness.

¹  His arrival was, indeed, announced by a heavenly host of angels to an unpresuming quiet field of shepherds, but the remainder of the world was unaware of the greatness in their midst and the amazing happening on that sacred night.