The meek are God’s gentlemen!

Matthew 5:5—Happy are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.

The meek are God’s gentlemen!

Happy are the meek.  Does that sound absurd?  In our hardball society, meekness is considered a liability, not an asset.  We’ve all heard the gospel according to Leo Durocher:  Nice guys finish last.

Our society believes the way to inherit is to be mean as a junkyard dog.  We’ve all seen those little plaques that say, “if you love something, let it go; if it does not return to you, hunt it down and kill it,” and “If you don’t like the way I drive, stay off the sidewalk.”  But when did you last see a plaque that said, “Happy are the meek”?

The Meek Messiah

Remember to whom Jesus is speaking.  At this point, the Jews are living under severe political oppression.  Since 63, they have lived under a series of brutal rulers appointed by Rome.  One of them, Herod the Great, executed one of his ten wives merely on the suspicion of infidelity.

Jesus’ listeners are looking desperately for a messiah who will crush Roman imperialism.

So what happens?  Along comes Jesus of Nazareth, whose teachings and miracles have aroused the entire nation.  Anticipation builds among the people.  Could this be the promised messiah?  They hang on His every word.  He says, “Happy are the meek…”

A man in the crowd throws up his hands and says to his friends, “Can you believe this guy?  Get serious!  You don’t conquer Romans with meekness.  Happy are the meek?  Nonsense!  Might makes right!  Meekness is weakness!”
   
God’s Gentlemen

But meekness is not weakness.  In his commentary on the book of Matthew, Matthew Henry said, “The meek are those who quietly submit themselves before God, to His Word, to His rod, who follow His directions and comply with His designs and are gentle toward men.”

They are not intimidated by loud-mouthed mental midgets.  They are cool and calm in adversity.  They have warm hearts, not hot heads.

Our culture has rejected meekness as a principle of happiness.  This reflection of meekness creates a vacuum filled with barbaric behavior.  We don’t want to hear about meekness.  Give us Rambo!

We don’t want to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit whisper, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance” (Galatians 5:22-23, KJV).

What then?  Does being meek mean we allow the aggressive to run over us?  Does it mean we stand silent, head bowed, while being verbally abused?  No.  Meekness speaks the truth in love.  It stands its ground calmly and resolute.  We can stand against injustice with anointed fury and still be meek.