Just be yourself! Don’t try to be somebody you’re not. That advice was given to me, and I pass it on to you. Just be yourself!
God wants us to recognize who we are, and to accept His unique plan for each of our lives. In Galatians 5:22-23 we are introduced to the fruit of the Spirit (those qualities of life that the Holy Spirit wants to produce in us). And one of those qualities is the characteristic of meekness – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness…” Now most people think of meekness as weakness. But that is not true. The Bible says that Moses was the meekest man on the face of the earth (Numbers 12:3), and Moses was a great leader – not a weak man.
The word “meekness” basically means “to be mild-mannered.” In fact, most of the newer translations (including the New King James Version) chose the word “gentleness” here to express this idea. The fruit of the Spirit is gentleness.
We live in an arrogant, pushy world, where everyone is trying to get ahead to make their mark in society. People are trying to become somebody, so they wear masks and put on airs, and push and shove to get where they want to be.
But a meek person doesn’t do that. Meekness is the exact opposite of being self-assertive and prideful. It is an attitude of humility whereby the meek person is considerate of others. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come unto me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest…for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest unto your souls.”
Jesus was the meekest person who ever lived, but He wasn’t a weak person. To be meek is to be strong, because it is accepting who you are in Christ. “The fruit of the Spirit is…meekness.”
Now you know the real meaning of the word.
Say — Remember what Jesus said: “Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).