The Meek

"Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth."  - Jesus.

Jesus continues his explanation of what it means to live in the Kingdom of God.  And He continues to flip what we think is the normal way of living... the world's way.

The Meek

Humble... gentle... kind...   self-effacing...  unassuming...  patient... not quick-tempered...  Some might say compliant, docile or overly submissive.   I have heard it defined as 'power under control' like a bridled horse and wind in a sail.   In version of Numbers 12:3, it says "Moses was very meek, above all the men on the face of the earth".  Though this version might be hard to read and grasp, I find it interesting that 'meek' here is juxtaposed to 'above all'.  Meek is not above all, its below all.   And yet...

They will Inherit the Earth  

What does that mean?  I mean, I look at these promises of the Beatitudes and this seems the least appealing.  I get 'comfort' especially if I am mourning.  I get 'wanting to see God' or 'being filled'.  But really, I don't want to inherit the earth... do I?

Control.  We want to be in control.  I want to be in control.  Maybe I don't want to inherit the whole earth, that's cartoonish.   But i do want to control my world.   My family, my home, my finances, my work...  I get angry when things are spinning out of control.  I want to control traffic.  I want to control my sons.  I want life to be in control.

And yet life since the Fall has been spinning out of control.  My world will never be under control.  if it is for a second, entropy sets it.  Tonight my son my obey me.  Tomorrow he won't.  Things in my home may work today but tomorrow something will stop working.  It never ends.  I want to control but its out of control.

Real Power

The world says that power is what rules.  Being in control, that's leadership.  It's staring down the opponent.  It's being in charge.  It's ruling and reining, not from humility but actually from the exact opposite.

Jesus says that real power is found in being under control...  in meekness... in servitude... in humility... in not bringing glory to myself... in looking out for the needs of others.   

The meek will inherit the earth.  Oh Lord make my soul long for meekness!