Meekness, Not Weakness

People are constantly telling me I’m “too nice”. I honestly don’t understand what they mean by that. Don’t we as humans enjoy being around people who are genuinely nice, goodhearted people? I don’t think there is anything wrong with being super nice, it is who I am and I am not going to change my personality because others say I should. But, what is the difference between being kind, meek and soft, versus being weak and fragile?

I have had some experiences with people where I was in a situation where I was the target of hateful words and actions. Sadly, most of you will probably empathize with me on how awful it feels to be attacked, especially when it is by people you thought you trusted. When situations like these arise, it is easy for emotions to cloud our judgement and get the best of us. We can either retaliate and give them the same treatment they gave to us, or we can be meek.

What IS meekness? Elder Neal A. Maxwell said in a talk titled Meekness—A Dimension of True Discipleship

“Meekness, however, is more than self-restraint; it is the presentation of self in a posture of kindness and gentleness, reflecting certitude, strength, serenity, and a healthy self-esteem and self-control.”

I really appreciate how this explanation of meekness was worded. I think it is important to remember that there is strength and self-esteem in meekness. It is different than weakness, where many of these qualities are lacking. Meekness is recognizing who you are and who you belong to. We are God’s children, we should act like we know we are children of the king. When you think of kings and queens in fairytales and books, you most likely think of very royal and poised people. In the books I have read, the kings and queens are always the wise, kindhearted people who have confidence and strength, without being overbearing. We should strive to act like the kings and queens and children of God that we are.

What did Christ do when he was provoked and attacked by his enemies? He never yelled, he never insulted, never condemned. He responded with love, mercy and meekness. There are many examples and ways that Christ responded to persecution, but it was always in a meek manner. The most familiar, and in my opinion, the greatest example of meekness is when Christ was on the cross of Calvary. He wasn’t cursing the Romans who nailed him to the cross, he didn’t harden his heart; he was praying for them and forgiving them. If Christ, a perfect person without fault, displaying pure meekness and Christ-like love can pray for and forgive such cruel and hateful people, then we should forgive our “enemies” too.

I don’t think we need to respond to hatred with hatred and rudeness. It is important to have respect for yourself and to stand up for what you believe but we don’t need to add to the meanness of the world. Be the bigger person, be the meeker person in situations where others are attacking you. Don’t be an argument starter, be an argument ender. Turn the other cheek and strive to be meek.

 

In The Lord’s Hands

Have you ever had the feeling like you just got hit by a ton of bricks? I have. And let me tell you, a figurative feeling is much better than a literal feeling.

It was a four hour drive. I had made it to the city my friend lived in and I was so excited to see her and spend the 3 day weekend with her. As I was turning onto her street, the weekend took a dramatic turn. I had gotten into a car accident, and it was bad. Both cars were wrecked  (probably totaled), my phone died, the car horn was constantly going off, and I was in pain.

It is scary to be in situations like that regardless of the circumstances, but this sort of thing had never happened to me before so I was extra shaken up. It was particularly difficult for me because I felt like I was all alone. I was in a new place, by myself, and I couldn’t really talk to my parents. I didn’t know what to do or how things worked. All I wanted at that time was to be with my family, in the comfort of my home. Sadly, that was the last thing that was going to happen.

During the accident, I hit my head on the window; I got bruises and whiplash, which is very uncomfortable, but considering the impact and damage done, I truly am blessed to not have any serious injuries. Some people may say that it is luck or coincidence that nothing serious happened to me. But I know what really happened, it was more than luck. It was stronger than coincidence, I was protected by the Lord. I felt his love for me as I thought about the accident and everything that had just happened. He kept me safe. I truly believe that there were angels surrounding me, helping me to stay calm and protected during such a chaotic and stressful time.

In life, we will all have times when we get into literal or figurative “car crashes”. During these troublesome times, we may feel completely alone, hurt, confused, and heartbroken. There may be damage done that will take a long time to heal and move past. Sometimes, there will be a permanent scar leaving a reminder of our errors and trials. Although we may feel discouraged, never forget that we are children of God. He loves us more than we can imagine. While we may feel lonely and confused, remember that you are never alone. Heavenly Father is alway there for you and with you, and in your times of distress, He will carry you when you cannot walk on your own. He knows every pain and struggle we face, he loves us more than words can begin to explain. I think of the scripture Joshua 1:9 “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” He will give us comfort and peace when we are at our breaking point. He will not abandon us. he is always there. We just need to let Him into our hearts.