Blessed are the meek

In the third Beatitude, Jesus said: "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth" (Matthew 5.5). Meekness is not about weakness, but about keeping power under control. How can a Christian be meek? 

What do a domesticated horse and a Christian have in common?

Each can be described with the Greek word praus , which is often translated as "meekness" or "gentleness." This concept of meekness expresses that there is a force under control. William Barclay's Daily Study Bible notes that praus "is the common word for an animal that has been tamed, that has been trained to obey the word of command, that has learned to respond to the reins." A wild and wild horse can cause great damage, but if it is tamed, that energy can be harnessed and used productively.

Meekness is a necessary trait in the life of a Christian. It is not just power under control, but power under God's control. For a Christian, meekness consists in giving everything to God and being completely at his disposal.

God will rebuke those who are proud and arrogant (Zephaniah 3: 11-12). Meekness develops when one is willing to learn and follows God's path (Psalm 32: 8-9). Meekness is recognized as an important component of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5: 22-23).

Meekness is evident in our approach to the will of God and in interaction with other people. We are meek when we seek the best for others.

Because they will inherit the Earth

The meek are promised a great inheritance: the Earth (Matthew 5: 5). God promises the Earth to those who fear the Eternal (Psalm 25: 12-13), to those who wait in the Eternal (Psalm 37: 9) and to the meek (Psalm 37:11; Matthew 5: 5). These are not conflicting promises; they support each other, since the meek are people who fear and wait on the Lord.

Some may be surprised to learn that Jesus promised the Earth to the meek, not heaven. But what the Bible says about the Kingdom of God being established on Earth and the amazing renewal and restoration that God has planned is an exciting study. Some may be surprised to learn that Jesus promised the Earth to the meek, not heaven. But what the Bible says about the Kingdom of God being established on Earth and the amazing renewal and restoration that God has planned is an exciting study.

Coming from someone else, Jesus' promise to the meek would be futile and impossible. But coming from Jesus Christ, this promise is stronger than if it were written in stone. God does not lie or change his mind (Titus 1: 2; Hebrews 6:18). Those who follow him will have Earth as a reward. As they grow and become children of God, the meek will inherit all that is theirs (Romans 8:17). This includes Earth!

The Bible describes a beautiful, peaceful and prosperous planet earth that will be an impressive heritage.

The way of man

Meekness is not a trait that most people naturally tend to have. Conventional wisdom would say that the Earth and everything on it is for those who have the audacity to act and the strength to take it. For many, meekness is simply weakness and means allowing others to pass over you.

This concept appears in the representations of Jesus Christ in art. Jesus Christ clearly stated that he was meek (Matthew 11: 28-30). In his meekness, he was abused to the point of being beaten and unrecognizable (Isaiah 52:14; 53: 5-7). But the artists seem to have taken their meekness as something that showed weakness and fragility, creating images of a weak and defenseless man. What most people don't know is that the popular conception of the appearance of Christ is not remotely similar.

What Jesus Christ often forgets is that in his meekness he still acted with great power, but was always in control of himself. When the time came to act, Jesus acted firmly and without uncertainty (John 2: 14-17).

Jesus put a clear restriction on the use of his power: the will of his Father (John 5:30). Jesus had the power to stop all who opposed him, as He said the night He was arrested, but He decided not to use that power (Matthew 26: 50-54; Philippians 2: 5-11).

Even in the face of an unbearable death on the cross, Jesus Christ submitted to the will of the Father (Matthew 26: 36-44).

How meekness manifests

Meekness affects the way we interact with God and with our neighbor. The meek calmly receive the Word of God and apply it in their lives, regardless of cost (James 1: 21-25).

Meekness implies obedience to God and the willingness to sacrifice to please Him. Sometimes this sacrifice includes acts of service with Him and with others (Matthew 20: 25-28).

The meek are also kind in all their interactions with others. This does not mean that the meek allow everyone to do as they please with them; when the time comes to face, they will stand firm. However, there are ways to be firm and remain kind.

The meek are slow to anger; they control their impulses (Proverbs 14:29). The meek master the art of using a smooth response to smooth a situation (Proverbs 15: 1). Meekness endures others with love even when it is difficult (Ephesians 4: 1-3; Colossians 3: 12-13). To do this, a Christian should not be easily offended.

Meekness influences the way we do everything. Eventually it will change our priorities, causing us to seek the righteousness that Christ mentioned in the next Bliss: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness" (Matthew 5: 6).