He Gave Up Power

When we write our resumés, we’re tempted to use only strong adjectives. Experienced. Results-oriented. Influential. In one place, Jesus surprisingly described himself as “meek and humble.” And when you look at how he lived and taught and led, it’s totally true.

Seriously, you’ve got to wonder why. He was such a great orator and teacher that he had people eating out of his hand, so to speak. If he would have strategically wooed them, they all would have followed his ideology. Why did he give up his power to persuade?

He could have rallied thousands of followers to unite and rise up against Rome, the occupying military force who held Israel in a death grip. Instead, he taught them to love their enemies. When soldiers came to arrest him, he stepped forward out of his group of friends and surrendered.

People wanted him to be a military giant or at least a political mastermind. The fact that Jesus seemed to give up his power disappointed those who were expecting him to be Israel’s promised Messiah. They didn’t understand why he acted so “weak." And when they tried to force him to be their king and deliverer, Jesus just left the scene.

He could have done so much good with a little show of strength, so why didn’t he? Maybe meek, really did mean weak. Even Google describes meek as “yielding,” “compliant,” and “tame.”

But a closer look at the original meaning of the word as Jesus used it, tells a different story. Meekness really means power—but it’s power under control. Meek described war-horses who were trained to obey instantly and absolutely, no matter how brutal the battle. Meek was the courageous soldier who waited for the right show of strength at the right time and towards the right opponent. That’s far from tame.

When Jesus described himself as meek, he used the military term people would have recognized. Throughout his life, Jesus faced all kinds of power plays with the skill of a “warrior in control.” Power at the right time and never at the wrong time. And passion for the right things, and never for the wrong things. In his greatest teaching lesson, Jesus said, “blessed (thriving) are the meek . . .”

Jesus gave up the optics of power and traded it for the real thing. He gave up the right to take every political, social, radical opposition to their knees. While he had the power of absolute rule, he lived out the power of absolute love. And that meant he used his rights and power for the purposes of his love.

Consider this: Why is power so valued in our society today? Knowing that Jesus would have used that power for good, why do you think he avoided it so intentionally?