Sermon on the Mount – The Meek
The Meek
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
(Matthew 5:5, NIV)
What does meek mean to you?
The more you study God’s Word, the more you come to understand the vast difference between living a life for the Lord and living in the secular world. You also begin to see how words have changed. In today’s world, very few view meekness as a compliment. To many, meek is equated with weak. They think that meek people lack power, assertiveness, and courage. But yet Jesus is telling His followers to be meek.
Jesus also tells us to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (Mark 16:15b) Do you think a weak person can fulfill that command? It takes courage to go and talk to strangers, knowing they may be unreceptive to your message. Jesus is not telling us to be weak. He is telling us to be meek, like Him.
Meekness is not weakness. Meekness is being able to control your power, your strength. Jesus had more power at His fingertips than we can comprehend. He had to but merely speak a word and angles as far as the eye could see would descend from Heaven and spare Him from the cross. But Jesus did not speak. He submitted to His Father’s will. While on the cross, He showed forgiveness to the thief who sought it. He never uttered an unkind word to those who beat and tortured Him. He was meek until the end.
Even before confronting the cross, Jesus demonstrated meekness in His interactions with those He encountered. Yes, He frequently used His power to heal the sick, the injured, and the wounded. He used His power to help, not to destroy. Even when showing His anger, such as when He cleared out the temple (John 2:13-22), Jesus controlled His power. He went after those who were perverting His Father’s house. He did not harm innocent bystanders. Instead, He invited them to worship with Him once the temple had been cleansed.
Meekness has always been celebrated by God. Consider Moses, who is called “very meek,” in Numbers 12:3 (KJV). Yet it was Moses who defied Pharaoh and freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. He demonstrated restraint, meekness, with the power given to Him by the Lord.
Meekness is power! It is the power of knowing when to speak and act. It is the power of knowing what to say or do. The power of meekness comes from wisdom, which comes from the study of God’s word. The world may laugh at the idea of meekness, but they do not understand it. God has called us to be meek. Through being meek, we will receive His blessing.
Being blessed does not always mean being happy, as is so often assumed. The blessing from God is a spiritual blessing. It could be greater understanding of His word. It could be the development of a deeper relationship with Him. Yes, it could also be a blessing of prosperity on earth. Or it could be a blessing that we do not yet understand. But in being meek, we can rejoice in knowing that we are pleasing God. Just be careful not to be prideful in your meekness!
Living for God, as Jesus exemplified, is not easy. It involves standing against the beliefs of the world in which we must live. But the secular world will not always rule. One day, Jesus will come again and establish His eternal rule over a new earth. On that day, the meek will inherit the earth. Are you one of the meek?
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