“Blessed are the Meek” (11/4/2021)

(Note: this is the fourth in a series of 10 articles on the Beatitudes in the Christian Life)

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the land.” We should not be surprised by this beatitude. Our Savior, the Son of God, was born to Mary, the wife of a simple carpenter from Nazareth and because there was no room for the family in the town of Bethlehem, Jesus was placed in a manger. It is fitting that the Messiah who was visited not by royalty from Jerusalem but by shepherds who came directly from the pasture, would proclaim that the humble are blessed.

The way that Jesus mapped out for us to the kingdom and life in abundance in the presence of our loving LORD doesn’t call for aggressiveness or assertiveness but rather for gentleness and humility. Jesus himself showed us how to conduct ourselves. Jesus ministered to the lowly, the suffering, the outcasts, the lepers. And the night of his arrest, the eve of his passion and crucifixion, he put on an apron and washed the feet of his disciples before telling them, “I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done for you” (John 13:15).

And He invited us to “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart” (Mt. 11:29). Jesus pointed to a child and told the crowd, “Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom” (Mt. 18:4). And we who are trying to live as his followers in the modern age recall his teaching that “The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted” (Mt. 23:11).

The journey of faith, hope and love requires humility; we travelers know that it is in the LORD that “we live and move and have our being.” We have the example of our loving Savior who showed us how to live every moment in relationship with the Almighty Father, seeking His will and deferring to it. We understand the LORD calls us to be strong in our meekness, not hostile not milk toast, but gently and modestly making great strides and contributions, not seeking personal glory, but always seeking to give witness to our LORD’s glory and unfathomable love for us.

Until tomorrow, love well.