Blessed are the Meek

Table Talk


Setting the Table

You are welcome here. Come just as you are, bringing whatever is on your heart today. Take a few moments and allow yourself to just be. Take a couple deep breaths, grab yourself a cup of coffee, light a candle, do something that brings you comfort. Allow yourself to be present in this moment.  


What would the world be like if all of us embraced the practice of putting others before ourselves?

Once again...welcome to my house. Come freely. Go safely; and leave something of the happiness you bring.
- Bram Stoker

Humility is not cowardice. Meekness is not weakness. Humility and meekness are indeed spiritual powers.
- Sivananda Saraswati

Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.


Food for Thought

“Welcome”. This is a simple saying that I’ve heard in many different tongues and have felt in many different ways. Often I receive welcome cordially - with the warmth, curiosity, and openness with which it’s probably meant to be received, but accompanied by a distance and skepticism cultivated through world experiences: greeting an Uber driver or shaking the hands of a friend-of-a-friend. Sometimes, welcome is disingenuous, perhaps even cold: the generic “welcome” outside of a ritzy hotel. And then, there are times when “welcome” is heard, received, and felt as a warm embrace upon my heart, perhaps even my soul. It’s this sort of welcome that I cherish and that I find most memorable. It’s this same welcome that I long to share with the world.

Jesus offered this kind of welcome. There is one point in his ministry when he offered a sermon of welcome to those around him - perhaps those least likely to feel welcome.
Blessed are the hungry.
Blessed are the poor.
Blessed are the grieving.
Blessed are those who create peace.
Blessed are those who show mercy.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Righteous. Humble. Teachable. Patient under suffering. These are all ways in which thinkers of different eras have tried to define Christ’s blessing to the prais - the Greek word often translated as "meek". But prais has a difficult-to-translate root (pra-) that actually means more than "meek". In fact, its original spirit speaks well to our understanding of “welcome”. While the English language often associates meekness with gentleness, biblical meekness is more nuanced. Meekness is not synonymous with weakness necessarily, but rather refers to exercising God's strength with compassion and control. It’s demonstrating power without holding that power over another.

I find meekness best wrapped up in Jesus’ call to be the least: “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all” (Mk 9:35). It’s in the synthesis of this kind of meekness and love that we encounter true “welcome”, the kind that keeps us from putting ourselves above others, out of our recognition of the precious nature of the person before us - a sister, a brother, passionately and radically beloved by God.

I have learned through life and faith that I don’t have to be the strong one all the time. In fact, I believe genuine meekness, “welcome”, cannot be achieved by my own strength, but only with God’s supporting strength. By leaning on God’s strength, I am released from the pressure to be “strong” or to “win” all the time. I am, instead, free to approach the world around me with tenderness, gentleness, and meekness, so that I can create space and welcome for others.


As you prepare your table, be intentional about changing the usual seating. Who doesn’t usually sit together? What’s a chair/place you haven’t tried? Recognize and name the feelings you’re experiencing as you expand these boundaries.

The practice of meekness can be tough for some. What is a small step you can make to approach others and the world around you with more meekness? It can be as simple as holding the door for the person behind you, or exercising some forgiveness toward a past hurt.


Blessing

Lord, give us the strength needed to make ourselves the very least - to have the courage and fortitude to place others on our shoulders, to lift up those around us, and to offer welcome in ways that prioritize the needs and well-being of others.


A little Table Talk for your table...

  • Share with a friend the areas of your life in which you are cultivating meekness. Where can you improve?

  • How can institutions demonstrate meekness? Why might this be difficult?

  • How is God calling you to embody or cultivate meekness in your own life? How does this shape your approach to “welcome”?

Try taking it to the Kids Table...

  • Discuss with your child what “meekness” means.

  • Ask your child how it makes them feel to care for others.

  • What are some things you can do together to practice meekness?

Meet Our Welcoming Voice!

Rev. James K. P. Williams is delighted to serve as Pastor of the historic First Baptist Church of Philadelphia, where he was called in January of 2020. In addition to his work with First Baptist, James serves in a variety of roles and capacities seeking to elevate marginalized groups within society and around the globe—particularly the LGBT+ community and Philadelphia’s homeless population. In his personal life, James loves drumming and spending time with his family, including his dog (“Ellie”) and many cats.

To hear more from Rev. Williams throughout the week, follow along on our Instagram!

Here are Five Things to Remember When Setting Your Own Welcome Table!

Rev. James K. P. Williams