The Meek

Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Mt 5:5). But it doesn’t seem like that in our world today. Our world seems to reward the opposite – the proud, arrogant, abusive, aggressive, and egotistical. These are the ones who seem to rule governments, corporations, sports – THE WORLD!

Jesus isn’t turning things upside down just for the sake of attention. He is asking us to look at things from a spiritual perspective. He is saying that it is the spiritually minded people who actually are successful and powerful in the eyes of God (and should be in our eyes).

It’s hard to hear the word “meek” and not think “weak.” Meekness is actually, in many ways, the opposite of weakness. Most translations use the word “meek,” but some use the words “humble” or “gentle.” Paul Earnhart wrote: “It is a disposition held by steely moral resolve at a time when one may have the power, and the inclination, to behave otherwise” (Invitation to a Spiritual Revolution, pg 13). Meekness is not indifference or tolerance. It is choosing to control oneself to patiently submit, obey, and serve.

The phrase “…shall inherit the earth” can be taken two ways. First, it is similar to the “inherit the land” promises in the Old Testament (Ge 13:15-17; De 1:8; Josh 1:6; Ps 37:9; Is 60:21). It would have been easy for Israel to think that Palestine was their land by the might of their army when in fact it was theirs by the promise and might of God. Today, Christians may think that their life in this world is by their own abilities and successes, when in fact it is only by meekly submitting to the promises and might of God. And the same is true of God’s kingdom – spread and strengthened not by our own might, but by people meekly submitting to and obeying God.

Second, the phrase “…shall inherit the earth” can be referring to Christians benefitting from life’s blessing now and in eternity. Although it may not appear that the meek inherit the earth physically now, they are living as God originally intended mankind to live on earth. And as the Old Testament promised land was to faithful Israel, the eternal land (spiritual “earth”) is promised to the meek. In the words of 1 Timothy 4:8, “…godliness is profitable for all things, having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.” The “earth” is ours because we live godly as God intends. The “earth” is ours because God has promised us an eternal dwelling place in His presence.

In spite of what our world says, being meek is worth it and the way to true joy, peace, and success. What the meek inherit from God is beyond anything we can take through arrogance, bullying, manipulation, or force. We follow our Savior who was “meek and lowly in heart” (Mt 11:29). The eternal inheritance will make it worth it.    dd