Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5 NIV
This verse has always been interesting to me because I feel like the meek have gotten a bad rap. To be meek is to be gentle, to be someone who has an easy going disposition. Our society has twisted the concept of meek to be a weak person who lets everyone walk all over them. The world presents that people need to be angry all the time and be the first one to hurt the other person so you have some control over how a relationship is going to go. This is all sad to me.
In the economy of God’s kingdom, peace is valued, gentleness is valued and maintaining one’s composure is valued. Meekness is responding to persecution, injury, insults or hurt of any kind without anger and without wanting to get revenge. A meek person is a person who is quiet minded and peaceful. Meekness patiently waits for God to provide justice in the situation. When we are able to be meek towards each other, we are better able to surrender to God, to be meek in His presence, knowing He is in control.
The second part of the verse talks about the meek inheriting the earth. Inheriting blessings was a very special occurrence in the Jewish custom. For someone to inherit something it meant that there was special significance in regards to the item as well as the person who was receiving it. The meaning of the inheritance of the earth is not the earth as it is now or was then, but how it will be once Jesus returns. He is going to bring His kingdom down on to the earth, it will be a renewed earth that is the way it was supposed to be in the time of Eden.
Jesus was considered meek. It didn’t mean that He never got angry but it meant that He was able to regain His composure and actions quickly so that He could return to being at peace. I have recently, over the past few years, truly embraced being at peace and I can tell you that I do not like it when I lose that peace. It is such as wonderful, freeing feeling that I want to be at peace or in a peaceful mindset all the time.
As a Christian we strive to be like Jesus on a daily basis, and since Jesus was meek, I believe that one of the traits we should strive to have is one of meekness. Have you ever tried to be at peace for even an hour? If you have then you understand what an amazing feeling that is and that you don’t want to give it up. As you go through your day today, I encourage you to practice quieting your mind, sitting in peace and embracing meekness.