Blessed Are The Meek

An example of meekness can be seen in the character Mr. Bates in the PBS television drama Downton Abbey. Mr. Bates is the valet for the Lord Grantham, the lord of the manor, but he is a cripple and has trouble walking or performing other duties. The other servants do not want him there, and so they look for opportunities to embarrass him, such as kicking his cane out from under him when the servants are assembled for a guest (causing him to fall) or encouraging him to carry a tray that they know he cannot carry (causing him to drop it). Despite this, Mr. Bates refuses to criticize them or defend himself; instead, he just apologizes when such things happen. Why? Because Mr. Bates has a personal relationship with the lord of the manor that goes back decades, and he trusts completely in the lord. If Lord Grantham has an issue with Mr. Bates, then he’ll let Mr. Bates know, and if others have an issue with Mr. Bates, Mr. Bates trusts that his lord will defend him. This is what meekness looks like in our relationship with our Lord.