Meekness isn’t weakness – once considered positive, it’s one of the ‘undersung virtues’ that deserve defense today

Meekness used to be considered a positive trait – not being powerless, or a doormat. Halfpoint images/Moment via Getty Images

What do you envision when you think of meekness?

You probably see a mousy doormat, someone sheepishly acquiescing to the will of the stronger. When Jesus says, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth,” you might think that those wimps will hand it over without a whimper or word of objection to stronger, more ambitious people. The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche called meekness “craven baseness.”