“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)
We live in a day and age, it seems, where the things this world values
the most are in direct opposition to the life Jesus describes as blessed. That would be especially true when it comes
to being meek.
The word meek is a
hard one to define. In essence, it means
to be gentle or kind. It is generally
associated with a spirit of kindness, humility, and submission. The word Jesus used in Matthew 5:5 is prays,
which means gentleness of spirit or mildness of disposition. Thus, meekness is the opposite of
self-assertiveness or self-interest. The
meek are those who are not occupied with self at all, but totally
reliant on God. Meek people don’t
stomp around, but tread lightly. They
don’t feel the need to continually air their opinions, but listen
carefully. They do not see people as
threats or competition, but look tenderly.
They do not fight and grab and push their way to the front, but they touch
with reverence. Meek people know that
true growth requires nurture, not force.
In our rough and tumble world, meekness can be a vivid, tangible reminder
of the presence of God among us. The
meek do not posture nor promote, they do not campaign nor draw attention to
themselves, but they offer their contributions to the world in quiet
tenderness. Therefore, the meek are able
to inherit the earth because they are not trying to control, conquer, manipulate,
or impress it. They are blessed because
they are a blessing.
Lord Jesus, if we ever hope to be anything
like you, we must learn to be meek.
Unfortunately, that is so much against our nature that we can never hope
to do it on our own. You must grow it in
us. Have mercy on us, Lord Jesus! Make us more and more like you each day. Amen.
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