The Meek – February 4, 2023

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Matthew 5:5

The Meek

Meekness is not a trait that will get a person very far in life. In a dog-eat-dog world success is attained by a bold, assertive spirit which is not afraid to climb over others to get ahead. How different Jesus wants his disciples to be! Responding in thankfulness to God for their salvation, they are to be gentle, patient, humble, quietly resigning their all to God’s will. They don’t seek revenge when others offend. Instead they love others like Jesus meekly did: “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats” (1 Peter 2:23).

Jesus says that the meek are blessed. God knows their hearts and gives them a life on earth of blessing after blessing. I have a Christian friend who often remarks, “I’m so blessed!” He looks at his family, job, and possessions and thanks God for the many blessings he has. I can learn from people like my friend to recognize how my loving God fulfills his promise to bless me in all matters of life. Even when it doesn’t seem so, every minute God is with me and caring for me.

“The meek,” Jesus says, “will inherit the earth.” Not only do Jesus’ followers have a life of blessing on earth, but they also have the blessing of eternal life on a new earth. The Bible teaches: “In keeping with God’s promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:13). On the Last Day, God’s creation, including our planet earth, will be destroyed. But God promises that he will make a new creation for his believers, and it will be perfect and last forever.

The meek—all of God’s believers—will be blessed in the next world, as they are blessed in this one, too. Our merciful God has given us the most important gift of all through Jesus—he has taken away the guilt of our sins. By faith in Jesus, we are humbly grateful to have a life of blessing now and are boldly hopeful for even greater blessings to come.

Prayer:
Jesus, you humbly came into this world to bless me with God’s love for this life and for eternity. Impress on my heart the benefit of meekly following you and living in thankfulness for all your blessings. Amen.