Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5, ESV)
Some words languish in major disregard in the Biblical text because the contemporary words used in the selected verses are words we hold in low esteem. There is probably no word translated in the Bible that suffers from such low regard as the word “meek.” Hardly anyone would like to be classified as a meek person. In many cultures, including most Western cultures; meekness is equated with weakness. Neither is meekness valued as a virtue because the strong individual is ideal and someone who is meek would most likely to be discounted, disregarded and pushed aside in competitive cultures. So why does our Lord, proclaim blessings upon those that are meek?
First of all, we must remember, the blessings coming upon the meek are not coming from the culture. The blessings coming from God are coming from the same Lord that proclaimed that, “the last shall be first” (Matthew 20:16). The meekness our Lord values, is not so much a virtue as a disposition. True meekness is not a weakness but a strength and a resolve to live and follow Christ as our Master.
True meekness before God is a quietness and a submission of our will to the will of God. It is a stillness to live in relationship with God in full contentment without disputing with God about His plans, purposes and will. Thus living with the disposition of meekness in being in agreement with God brings about the virtues of dedicated diligence and genuine humility before God which could be characterized by bravery, modesty, reverence and even altruism as the focus of your life is on God and not upon yourself.
Thus meekness is not weakness but an honest dependence and dedication to God which leads to the total abandonment of our will to God’s greater will. True meekness thus recognizes the futility of self-promotion and self-importance against trusting in the everlasting Almighty God for all things. Meekness thus becomes one of the greatest measures of strength in our faith and through this strength comes the great blessing of God to inherit His full immeasurable blessings upon this earth and in the new earth to come.
Suggested Reading … “The Beatitudes of Christ (Matthew 5:2-12) & Matthew 6
