God Is Meek

There I was, walking all alone down through the mountain road, after a few hours visiting a sick friend and his family, when I noticed something up in the road. A few things up in the road. Large things. It was a bunch of cows who had slipped out of their grazing pen and into the road for some more greens.

I started to slow my progress, and then approached a little bit with some caution. Some of the cows slowly went back into their pasture, while a bull and a cow stayed behind. The bull just stopped and stared at me. I had no idea what to do. One of those animals could kill me a moment if it wanted to. I had walked through cows grazing before with other people, no problem. But would these be the same? Or were they different?

Now, you’re probably thinking, just contact someone who knows, and ask them. I had the same idea. No cell or internet signal. The house I was coming from was another 20 minutes back up the mountain. I decided I would wait for a while, hoping someone might come by or the cows would just go back into the pen and off the road.

Fifteen minutes passed by. I picked up a stick and started walking toward them slowly. They didn’t move. The bull again stopped and stared at me again. I decided I didn’t want to incite anything, and backed away at a distance again.

I was stuck there for a full hour, when some kids I know came walking down the road, on the way to the river beach. They passed by the cows without even thinking twice. It was only then that I knew I could easily just walk by. I was very grateful, and went on my way. I passed the cows with a lot of respect for what they could do, but also full of confidence.

Later, when I told people about it, after they laughed they said, “Just pick up a stick and make some noise, they’ll move out of the way without a problem.

The cows here are meek.”

I said, “You know that, and I know that now. But I didn’t know that then!” I needed to see people encounter the cows to see the meekness for myself.

God is all-powerful and can do anything. He gives us life, and can take it away. It’s important to know that and respect it. That is called the fear of God, and it’s the fundamental virtue for having a real relationship with God. But Jesus gives us another important piece of information, so we can confidently and securely come right close into God’s presence, and not wait standing at a distance. Jesus gives us words and an example so we can see this important reality for ourselves:

God is meek.

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Mt 11:28-30)