Who is this Man? – Day 19

We quickly label someone with a gentle character as an idler, or a slacker. Well, there can be a difference between gentle and being “soft”. Jesus was gentle and meek, but that does not mean that He had no backbone. He stood up for what He believed in.

A meek person is someone who is soft-centred, not harsh and stringent. People felt extremely at ease in Jesus’ presence. He accepted them as they were. They could come to Him with their filthiness and imperfections. Jesus never took the long way around people. He never left someone at the road. His openness was striking. Meekness is to look at someone’s potential and not just to notice their imperfections.

You can notice Jesus’ meekness displayed in his genuine interest in people. He was not one for superficial chatter. He searched for the deepest need. Behind the conspicuous problems, He looked for the cause.

Imagine you visit the doctor, with red spots all over your body. The doctor makes the diagnosis: measles. Next thing, he puts a plaster on every spot. Has the doctor gone nuts? The spots are only symptoms; the true illness is in your blood. Jesus is interested in the illness that hides in the core of your existence: sin. He wants to touch your heart and reach out to your deepest need and loneliness.

I call that meekness – genuine compassion with people, sometimes, by merely telling someone the truth. Your father or wife shows more meekness when they challenge you than always letting you have your way.