“Blessed are the Meek” -- Matthew 5:5

Introduction

It’s interesting how some words have one connotation in most of the world, but have an entirely different one in a particular setting. The word “venti,” for instance. In most of the world, “venti” is the Italian word for “twenty.” But not in Starbucks. There it means a large glass.

Another phrase that has different meanings is “fake news.” To some, it applies to the mainstream media, while others apply it to Fox News, Rush Limbaugh and the like.

It’s all relative, really. In the proper setting, words can take on a new or different meaning. Such is the case with the word “meek.” When we hear the word, our normal understanding is someone who is afraid or unwilling to stand up for themselves. We tend to think of the meek as a person who is overly shy, seeks to avoid confrontation at all cost and never wants to state their own opinion on a matter lest they offend someone.

But taking the word as it is used in the Bible, we find that it stands not for weakness, but strength. Rather than being afraid to stand up for oneself, the meek of the Bible is someone who is not afraid of his or her opinion, but recognizes that asserting one’s rights is secondary to seeking God’s leadership and will.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus describes Himself as gentle and humble. At first glance, it seems a contradiction in terms to boast about one’s humility. And yet, Jesus is not boasting; He’s simply stating a fact, a truth about Himself and His way of relating to our world. If anyone had the right to insist that others respect His place in the world, it would be Jesus. John tells us that Jesus is the creator of all that is: “Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:3). Yet Jesus stood silent before His accusers on the night of His arrest and trial before the Sanhedrin. Jesus truly is the model of gentleness and humility, the very things that define the “meek” in the Bible.

And so Jesus uses the term to describe those who are to be blessed by God as described in the Beatitudes. This third in the series promises an inheritance and ascribes value to a way of looking at our world and our relationship with God.

Central Truth: The meek are God’s heirs.

When the Bible speaks of the meek, it means:

A humility before God

This Beatitude is a direct quote from Psalm 37:11. When taken with the psalm in its entirety, it becomes clear what Jesus meant in quoting it. The psalm speaks of the need for the followers of God not to fret about evil people. Instead, the believer is to trust in God. The words “delight,” “commit” and “be still” are used for those who seek God. The rest of the psalm suggests the judgment that awaits the wicked and the promises that await the meek.

The Greek word we translate here as meek speaks to our relationship with God and with others. It suggests having goodwill toward men and reverent obedience to God. When we live our lives according to this idea, we find ourselves willing to surrender our will—our rights—to the will of God. We find ourselves wanting what is best for others and not asserting our rights over others. And such an idea is consistent with the New Testament, when we see God’s love in action in John 3:16. This love is not a strong emotion, but a way of living and doing. It is an emotion, yes, but it is more; it is a godly understanding of our world and our role in that world.

Jesus reminds us that the Greatest Commandment involves an absolute love for God and a love for our neighbors as well as ourselves. Jesus used the parable of the Good Samaritan to describe this love. He calls upon us to love as He has loved. The love of Jesus is an unconditional love, a love that is not earned or taken away, but one that endures. Jesus’ command to love is summarized in the Golden Rule.

Paul’s definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13 describes the goodwill we have towards others. It is a love that is unselfish. John explains that we demonstrate our love for God specifically by loving our fellow person.

Seeing that this love is the compelling motivation for all that we do, we should come to understand that meekness in the context of the Bible is a willingness to stand humbly with God, trusting in His will and His ways. Knowing that He wants what is best for us, we yield ourselves to Him and, in so doing, we come to understand what it means to be a child of God.

God tells us that we are to act justly, love mercy and to walk humbly with Him. He reminds us that pride goes before a fall. Consider Joseph. He was a man who had every reason to shake his fist at anger in God’s face and turn away from Him. But Joseph didn’t. Even though He was sold into slavery, imprisoned on false charges and forgotten in prison, he trusted the Lord. In due time, God not only set Joseph free, but He gave Joseph one of the most exalted positions in the greatest kingdom of the time.

Moses is referred to as someone who was meek. In Numbers 12:3, the Bible says, “Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.” Moses saw it as his duty to follow God and to act as intercessor for the people whom he led. This verse occurs in a chapter that describes how Moses’ brother and sister came to resent him, claiming that they his equal. God sets them straight, and Moses intercedes on their behalf when God’s anger burns against Miriam and Aaron.

The humble person is one who stands before God with a goodwill toward others and seeks God’s intervention in their lives. And that is why the meek are blessed.

A confident trust in God

The one who is meek is one who has a strong trust in God. The meek come to understand that God’s way is the right way, the only way, and that any other way is wrong. When we realize our way is the wrong way, then we stand in humble awe of God and His direction.

When we consider the attitude of someone who has a confident trust in God, the Bible is filled with examples: Job, Abraham, David, Mary, John the Baptist’s parents, even Anna and Simeon, both mentioned in Luke 2 when Jesus was brought into the Temple for the time of purification. Both Anna and Simeon had lived a long life, waiting for the coming Messiah. When they saw the young child Jesus, they both proclaimed Him to be Messiah. All these people waited a long time for God to accomplish His promise to them, and none of them ever waivered from their confident trust in Him.

But there is one person in the Bible I think of when I consider confident trust in God, and that is Joseph, son of Jacob and Rachel. This was a man who was hated by his older brothers, sold into slavery by them. It was while Joseph was in slavery that he rose to a level of importance in his master’s house. Unfortunately, he also drew the amorous attentions of his master’s wife. When she tried to seduce him, he fled, and she accused him of attempted rape. Thrown into prison, Joseph languished there. He interpreted dreams for two men, both of whom promised to remember him to Pharaoh if they should be freed as the dreams promised. Yet they forgot, until years later, Pharaoh had a dream that none of his advisors could interpret. Joseph was called before Pharaoh, and Joseph reported what God revealed him to say about the dream. As a result, Joseph became the second most powerful person in the most powerful empire in the Middle East.

Years later, after Joseph’s actions had saved his family and brought his father, brothers and their families to safety in Egypt, Joseph told his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:19-20). For a life that seemed to be filled with tragedy and cause for bitterness and anger toward God, Joseph never lost sight of God’s power and presence, and Joseph never lost his faith in God’s will for his life.

It is that kind of faith, that kind of confident trust, which is intended when we are called upon to be meek before the Lord.

A promise that is present and future

The promised blessing for those who are meek is that we will inherit the earth. The promise of an inheritance is a present and future blessing.

Of course, it’s future because an inheritance is gained only after an event transpires. But it is present in that the assurance of the inheritance assures us.

Let’s suppose I have a rich uncle from Australia who has always considered me his favorite nephew. He has no children or heirs of his own, but he tells me, “Glynn, I’m leaving you all my holdings in Australia. I have mineral interests that will provide for your wellbeing for the rest of your life and then some. The land I have is prime acreage. And I want to give it all to you when I die. It’s in this will I’m handing you, and when the time comes, all that I have is yours.”

Assuming that nothing happens to change the circumstances, I have the promise of riches beyond my dreams one day, but I can make plans today based upon that promise. The promise frees me from worrying about my future. I can relax and enjoy today, knowing that my tomorrow is assured.

God’s blessing is that we will inherit the earth. The earth we shall inherit is the one described in Revelation 21, which is a new earth, free of sin and of temptation. It is a world where Christ Himself lives with us and fellowships with us face to face. The promise we have is that all this will be ours some day.

And that promise of some day is good for this day. It frees us from worrying about tomorrow. It frees us to live for each day as God intends us to do. The promise of tomorrow allows us to put God’s will into practice today. We have the promise of eternal life, but we are experiencing eternal life the moment we profess Christ as our Lord and Savior.

We who are meek have the promise that we have a future with God for all eternity.

Conclusion

There is a difference between meekness and inferiority. One can feel unworthy of anything because we are convinced that we aren’t worth anything. I assure you, when God touches us with His Spirit, He makes us worthy. God values us as His chosen people, His royal priesthood, His children. The idea that we are no good is a lie told by Satan to convince us that God cannot use us.

Meekness is the awareness that we are valuable in God’s eyes, but that we are also in need of Him in so many ways. Our meekness comes from the knowledge that we are at our best when we are letting Him live through us. The meek person is the one who recognizes God’s glory and might and wisdom, and wants to spend all our time with Him.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.