A successful gymnast has rhythm, confidence, and a strong body—but most vitally, power and control. With power, a gymnast can whip her body around a bar to gain momentum for a dismount. She can vault herself high enough over an apparatus to flip and twist her body in the air. She can leap off the ground and complete numerous harrowing tumbling passes during a floor routine. Power is important to these young athletes.

As impressive as power alone can be, it does not earn scores in gymnastics. The rules are not concerned with how high an athlete can jump, but how precisely she can stick the routine. She could vault herself at twice the height of her competitors, but falling to the ground can render her irrelevant in competition. She must control her body to complete the task assigned.

Gentleness (meekness) is greatly misunderstood by our culture. Biblically, it means to possess power under control. God does not say the powerful will inherit the earth. Granted, there is nothing wrong with possessing power. God increases the worldly power of Christians every day. But with an increase in power must come an increase in self-control and discipline—to contain power so it does not become wild.

For a gymnast, jumping backward into the air is the easy part. Landing solidly is key. To land solidly, a gymnast must maintain a controlled body position. Through perseverance and discipline—essentially control—she acts as one who is meek.