“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” [Matthew 11:28-30]
Jesus can sometimes be a confusing guide.
- Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, passively endures ridicule, scorn, and torture.
- Humble Jesus makes His triumphal entry in front of cheering crowds on a common donkey.
- Assertive Jesus turns over tables and drives the money changers from the temple.
- Confrontational Jesus condemns the self-serving, superficial religiosity of the Pharisees.
Which Jesus am I supposed to follow? Gentle and humble, assertive and confrontational—what’s the model?
The answer, of course, is “all of the above,” but that’s confusing in a culture that equates gentleness with weakness.
Jesus was the most powerful human in history, with the armies of heaven at His command. He could have turned the Roman Empire on its head, destroyed the corrupt religious establishment, and established Himself as king, general, and high priest. He could have righted every wrong, punished every evil, and placed His friends in positions of honor and authority.
In our world, these are the sorts of actions that define strength. All of them, and much more, were within Jesus’ grasp. So what did He do?
He washed feet. He wandered among obscure villages and spoke to insignificant outcasts. He chose a life of service that took Him to a horrible, humiliating death.
Two of Jesus statements have always had a powerful impact on me.
- “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”
Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.” [John 19:10-11] - The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” [John 10:17-18]
In our culture, powerful men give the orders. Obedience isn’t usually associated with strength and authority. Jesus willingly surrendered the power of the universe to do His Father’s will.
Jesus knew that coercion, force, and violence are signs of weakness. He could have kicked in the doors of power and demanded change. He could have debated the religious leaders into submission. He could have threatened dire consequences unless public policy conformed to His truth.
He didn’t brandish weapons or shout at His opponents. He didn’t use His authority and status to intimidate and control. He did none of the things we equate with power and strength, because He knew that they’re only imitations of strength.
Jesus knew that authentic courage means following God’s will. He displayed the courage to stand for right, regardless of the risk to Himself and His friends. But He didn’t need to win. He didn’t need others to acknowledge that He was right. He knew He was right in God’s eyes, and that mattered more to Him than anything else.
That’s the model, that’s the source of strength. If I know I’m right in God’s eyes, I can live with self-confidence and strength.
- It doesn’t matter what others think.
- I don’t need to win.
- I can serve in obscurity and humility.
Jesus wasn’t gentle and meek because He lacked strength or courage. Instead, because He knew the truth and held the authority of God in His hands, He had the courage to be gentle.
That’s the model. Those are the footsteps I want to follow.
Both gentleness and meekness are born of power, not weakness. There is a pseudo-gentleness that is effeminate, and there is a pseudo-meekness that is cowardly. But a Christian is to be gentle and meek because those are Godlike virtues. We should never be afraid, therefore, that the gentleness of the Spirit means weakness of character. It takes strength, God’s strength, to be truly gentle. Jerry Bridges
Do you struggle with needing to get your way or needing to win? How do you get past those feelings?
Did you enjoy this article? Please leave a comment, visit my website, and/or send me an email at rich@richdixon.net.
Subscribe to receive updates by Email
Related articles: