So, how do you feel about me?

What is it about human nature that makes us so much more comfortable with criticism (outgoing) than exhortation? I know many people, Christian and non, that would not bat an eye at pointing out your weakness, and yet also absolutely struggle to compliment you on your strengths.

Is it a power struggle? Because if I tell you what is wrong with you, I am in authority, I am the one who is better off, helping you my lesser. Whereas if I say, my you are good at such and such, I become a supplicant to your superior ability?

Is it that we feel that the economy of the relationship shifts to the other person? If I say you are good at something, do we assume then that I am not good, or at least equally as good at it because I allowed myself to admire it in you? In other words, do I have to be bad in order for you to be good? And then criticism becomes easier because it make me better if you are bad?

Meekness. That’s the one where the kitten steals the big dog’s food, but the dog doesn’t mind, because the cat is not a threat, and sharing with the cat that is so small, will not deprive him of much. It is like humility, something we understand to be a virtue in others, as long as we ourselves aren’t bound to it.

Meekness can be when I have the ability and even the right to criticize you, but instead focus on building you up, because I myself and strong enough to endure what I am going through as well as helping you along your way.

Many times I wade into the fray of verbal melee because I’ve taken offense at what was said. Meekness would say the offense isn’t big enough to cause real damage to me, there fore I’ll save my assault for a foe worthy of my efforts. Meekness is the art of becoming big enough to really help people, strong enough to weather their storms and still be there to lift them up when the rage has subsided. Meekness says I love you enough not to hurt you, and that I leave your judgment to others, while I help you rebuild your life.

Meekness is why Christ was fully man, because it was the meekness of God that laid aside divinity to walk with, and be abused by, us. Meekness is a God who takes you back, even when the best of your years are already spent on riotous living. It’s the God who runs to meet the sinner, who stoops to bless the wayward, who washes all our sins away.