“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)
Do you find the beatitudes hard to understand or embrace? They are compilation of truths that sometimes just sound challenging or undesirable. The first three of the nine spiritual blessings that Jesus names in His famous teaching, the Sermon on the Mount, are blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are those who mourn and blessed are the meek.
These are not blessings of value to ordinary men apart from Christ, but as we have witnessed in our series, with Christ in our lives and God as our Lord, these characteristics become truly rich and beautiful. The first two are internally focused, while our topic for today, “blessed are the meek,” is the first that addresses how we as Christians should interact with others. But before we can understand and apply this teaching in our lives, we first have to look at the historical context and author of these words.
“Meek” is not a common word in our everyday lives. Meek is an adjective and means to show patience, humility and gentleness or to be easily imposed and submissive. This does not sound like a characteristic that we should aspire to have.
However, the essence of this Greek word is “balance.” It is the balance between anger and indifference; power of character and self-control; and self-assurance and humility. Essentially, meekness encompasses this idea of strength under control. Imagine a soldier, fully equipped and well-trained with immense power, who does not abuse his strength or become heated and reckless. This is the meekness that Jesus was speaking of – a rare beauty of inner strength.
Again, this beatitude may feel like a contradiction. People who are meek, self-controlled and self-sacrificing cannot be the ones to inherit the earth because they will get walked all over, right? This is why these spiritual blessings are only for those who know the Lord as their Savior. Psalm 37:8-9 reminds us that the Lord will act on our behalf and says, “Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret – it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.” The meek will inherit the earth because God will uphold their cause!
As believers we are the Children of God – joint heirs with Jesus Christ! In this world God calls us to love one another, to not seek revenge, to practice self-control and to live self-sacrificing lives as Jesus did, but He only calls us to do so with Him in our lives. On our own, we cannot strive for meekness – it will only be an empty struggle. But with the Lord on our side and in our hearts, meekness is not only attainable, but also a blessing and joy. What better way to live for the Lord!
Meekness does not come natural to us because of our sinful hearts. When we intentionally practice meekness in our daily lives, God is given all the glory! Those who surround us at work, school, home and everywhere we go can witness the Lord through how we live. So live this week freely practicing meekness and explore the blessings and rewards in obeying His callings!
“But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.” (Psalm 37:11)
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