Aramaic Word of the Day - ܡܟܝܟܐ — makika - meek, gentle, soft, restrained, humble in strength

Its root M–K–K carries the idea of gentle, soft, restrained, humble in strength. In Aramaic thought, makika does not describe weakness or lack of conviction. It describes someone who is strong enough not to react impulsively. Western thinking often praises loud certainty; Semitic thinking honors controlled speech. Gentleness, in Scripture, is not the absence of power, it is mastery over it.

You hear this worldview clearly in Proverbs 15:1:

“A gentle answer turns away wrath.”To Middle Eastern ears, this is not advice for politeness; it is instruction for survival in community. A gentle answer interrupts cycles of anger and preserves relationship. Yeshua embodies makika throughout His ministry. He confronts injustice without cruelty, answers accusations without defensiveness, and remains silent when speech would only inflame violence. His authority is never diminished by gentleness, it is revealed through it.

I recall standing on the slopes above the Sea of Galilee, near the Mount of Beatitudes, where the land itself seems shaped to carry sound stone terraces rising gently, open air drawing every word outward toward the crowd. In such a place, speech cannot hide. Yeshua chose this mountain not by accident: in the Semitic world, elevation signals authority, and words spoken from a height descend with responsibility. There, as in the narrow villages below, speech was understood as covenantal action. “Blessed are the meek… blessed are the peacemakers” were not poetic sentiments but calibrated utterances, weighed like legal testimony.

In the Middle Eastern imagination, a word is placed into the world and remains there, shaping relationships and futures. On that mountain, the teaching made clear what every Galilean knew instinctively: speech flows from the heart, reveals allegiance, and either fractures community or restores it. Words were never casual they were moral acts, bound to the speaker’s integrity and accountable before God.

This is where Western and Eastern views of communication often diverge. In the Western mindset, honesty is frequently equated with bluntness. If something is true, it should be said immediately and directly, regardless of timing or tone. Silence is often viewed as weakness, and restraint as avoidance. But in the ancient Semitic world, wisdom was revealed through how something was said, not only what was said. A restrained tongue was not fearful; it was disciplined. A gentle response was not passive; it was power under control.

Let this speak into your life today. If you are navigating tension, misunderstanding, or conflict, consider not only what you need to say, but how you say it. In a Semitic worldview, the heart is revealed through the mouth, and wisdom knows when to soften its voice. Gentleness does not compromise truth; it creates space for truth to be heard. When you choose makika, you choose strength that heals rather than strength that wounds.

So slow your words. Let restraint guide your response. A gentle answer may feel small in the moment, but in God’s economy, it carries the power to restore what anger cannot.

If you desire to continue learning how Aramaic language and Middle Eastern culture deepen your understanding of Scripture and discipleship, I invite you to go deeper and check our video teachings in the Academy. www.twinsbiblicalacademy.om