THE MESSAGE ON THE ROADSIDE MARQUEE GOT MY ATTENTION: "Everyone who wants to be first must first be last, and the servant of all." Since my commute to work took me past this church every day, I'd often made a point of noting the topic for the upcoming Sunday service. But this week's subject sparked my interest more than usual. Simple but profound, it echoed what I'd discovered to be a theme throughout the Bible: that those who express selflessness, charity, and compassion will be blessed—and live full and rewarding lives. Yet it also reminded me of a quandary I was in over the whole concept of meekness.
I knew, at least from a Biblical standpoint, that meekness was an important quality. After all, the Beatitudes Jesus gave his followers in the Sermon on the Mount contain the following promise: "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." Matt. 5:5. But that was then, I thought, this is now. And, hard as I tried, I just couldn't seem to reconcile the idea of meekness to the contemporary realities of the world around me.
From a business perspective, humility is anything but in. I've worked in a number of corporate jobs, and the people who get promoted are often far from what I consider meek. In fact, the whole notion of humility just didn't appear to have any practical relevance to modern-day life in general, since self-assertiveness, aggressiveness, overconfidence, personal ambition, and drive often seem to dictate who gets ahead—and who gets left behind.
Yet as a lifelong student of the Bible, I've turned to the lives of the prophets and Christ Jesus countless times for inspiration on how to live my very contemporary lifestyle with its very contemporary challenges. Couldn't their examples shed some light on the subject of humility, too?
As I thought this through more deeply, I realized that both through his words and his example Jesus consistently stressed the need to live a humble and selfless life. Mary Baker Eddy, whose study of the Bible and of Jesus' healing ministry led to her discovery of Christian Science, referred to Jesus as "the best man that ever trod the globe." Science and Health, p. 52. Yet she also called him "the meek demonstrator of good" lbid, p. 49. and "the great Nazarene, as meek as he was mighty." lbid, p. 597.
Interesting, I thought, especially since a look at Jesus' momentous career reminded me that he wasn't someone I would have previously characterized as meek. He overturned the tables of the money changers and drove the merchants out of the temple in Jerusalem. He rebuked Pharisees, scribes, and other religious leaders of his day. And with "authority and power" he commanded unclean spirits to come out of their victims.
I asked myself: So what exactly was it about Jesus' life and practice that was meek? It seemed to me that his humility flowed from his deep, inspired, and unceasing devotion to God. Sometimes, his ability to put aside his own will and to listen for divine guidance reflected a more traditional approach to meekness. "Not my will, but thine, be done" Luke 22:42. was his heartfelt prayer in the hours just before his arrest and crucifixion. At other times, though, Jesus' obedience to God's direction impelled him to forcefully voice the truth or to rebuke hypocrisy. Regardless, it was his humble listening and consistent desire to do God's will that truly made Jesus a model of meekness. And, the more I thought about it, a very relevant example to follow in my own life, especially given my current circumstances.
After I was laid off when my company announced it would be selling its global operations, I panicked at the thought of having to interview with prospective new employers. I found that when I had to talk about myself and my work experience, I either hesitated or choked or rambled on with too much self-assertiveness. Then a friend offered a solution: "When you have to respond," she said, "why don't you just remind yourself that you're talking about a child of God?"
Now it occurred to me that perhaps this was the relevance of meekness: that what I needed was a Christly approach, one that is both meek and mighty because it springs from a desire to be the man or woman God made. I saw that as I was willing to listen for God's guidance about what to say and when to say it, I would find my "true" voice—the one that expresses my inherent self-worth as the reflection of divine Mind. That would enable me to approach my interviews with the honesty, integrity, and conviction that come from recognizing myself as the child of God, and not as a "mere mortal" having to rehash my human experiences and material history. The more I prayed along these lines, the more I found that I was easily able to achieve a level of grace, poise, and sincerity in interviews that I hadn't had in the past. And I discovered a confidence that came from the understanding that meekness and boldness could go hand in hand.
As a result of my growing willingness to turn to God for direction in my life, I've come to realize that the true meaning of meekness isn't about adopting or condoning an attitude of timidity or weakness, or being a doormat for others to walk over. Rather, it's the strength to be calm in the face of adversity, peaceable and loving in the face of acrimony, and to consciously and consistently listen for and follow divine guidance.
This is the meekness that holds the promise of the divine blessing—the inheritance of health, holiness, and true happiness here and now.
