Meekness, NOT weakness.

Lenten Love and Loyalty, week 02.

Welcome to a new weekly series where we will examine a virtue from the Book of Ruth and how it can strengthen and inspire our Lenten journeys. These reflections are inspired by my new bible study, Love and Loyalty: Heart Lessons from the Book of Ruth. Let’s dive in!

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Recently I found myself at a bit of a crossroads. Not a massive life-altering transition or anything. The ‘crossroads’ more resembled conflicting emotions rattling around in my brain during a particularly high stress moment in my life. I was angry, people. Like, really, really mad. And in my head, in this moment, it was definitely righteous anger, and you can believe I intended to do something about the injustice I perceived being perpetrated in front of me.

These emotions came from a deep place in my heart that is usually activated when I see someone I love being attacked, undermined, wronged or otherwise hurt in some way. And this activation had happened in flash. The embers had been burning for a couple weeks around this particular situation, and I had been telling my brain to ‘simmer down’ and relax and breathe and all things we should do when we are irritated and can’t control the situation. But then, the match was lit as I witnessed a dear sweet friend experience the sting of harsh words that she did not deserve. BOOM. Those little embers that I had been tending exploded into flames. Raging, blazing fire in my gut that I am sure was flashing in my eyes too.

Photo by Jeff W on Unsplash

So you see, the crossroads involved a choice I saw set before me. Choose to lean into the anger and let it consume me, or let it go and find peace.

I call heaven and earth today to witness against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God, obeying his voice, and holding fast to him.

-Deuteronomy 30:19

Perhaps you can relate to this little anecdote. Perhaps you, too, can have a short fuse and can experience flashes of anger or rage when you see injustice around you. Or maybe you are a cool cucumber who never gets her feathers ruffled. (If you are, we need to talk. I may need some of that cucumber juice, sister.) Either way, we all have to come up against the choice laid out for us by God in Deuteronomy. Life or death. Blessing or curse.

To me, this two-sided coin of an emotional conundrum requires a very special virtue that is often overlooked today: meekness. In Love and Loyalty, I focus a lesson this virtue as we see it being displayed so beautifully in Ruth’s life choices. Meekness, coming from the Greek word praus, is defined as a ‘decided strength of disciplined calmness.’ Meekness is not about exercising self-control per se, but about absolute faith and trust in God. It means that as we experience emotions running hot with anger, we can turn to Him and let His Power and Goodness and Truth permeate our souls as we pursue sound resolution. I don’t know about you, but I want more of that. Lots more.

Photo by Art Institute of Chicago on Unsplash

And Ruth had meekness in spades. I mean, this girl was convicted in way that was so laden with strength, discipline and firm resolve that I still marvel at it, even though I’ve read this book many, many times. Ruth decided that where God was leading her was more important and more necessary than the choice involving her own personal safety and security. Following her own will, desires, and comforts would have been immeasurably easier for this woman.

Oh, but God. God was leading her into the terrifying unknown, and Ruth was here for it. She doubled down, even, and forcefully squashed any objection to the matter.

That is meekness, my friends. It is strong and disciplined yet soft and mild in all the right places. It is what I think about when I envision feminine genius at its best. Ask any mama who has sat up all night with a baby or sick toddler or a teen in crisis and she will know. She will recognize this virtue: the soft, tender, and caring words that need to be spoken, the loving hugs and kind presence… and the steely, stony resolve underneath that is necessary to do the hard thing: to forgo the sleep, to tolerate the puking and crying, to let your heart break for the suffering of your sweet child.

Photo by Bethany Beck on Unsplash

Meekness is not weakness, my sweet friends. It is strength… beautiful strength born of our beautiful souls who long to witness Christ’s love in this world. As we embrace the fasting and prayer and giving of alms this Lent, let’s ask for the grace to fill that space with meekness. Softer hearts, kinder words, stronger actions guided by the Lord’s will and not our own. And let’s do more resting close to his heart, where we are fully seen and known as his beloved daughters.

Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. — Matthew 11:29

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If you want to dive into meekness and many other virtues in the Book of Ruth, check out my bible study, Love and Loyalty: Heart Lessons from the Book of Ruth. May it bless you abundantly!

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