Meek is not weak...

Matthew 5: 5

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

This is a challenging verse in today’s world; indeed in any world. We have a tendency to want cheap grace; to be able to quote Jesus but have a reason to deny the actual application of His words to our lives and community.  The meek, humble and gentle inheriting the earth seems laughable in a world where people brag about nuclear weapons ‘keeping the peace’ for 60+ years. In the so called ‘Christian world’, Just War Theory is religiously practiced daily as we find ourselves in the increasing twist of local and global physical violence and all sorts of human abuse. Denial comes in many forms; the denial of the meaning of the words of Jesus results in the need to deny the outcome of the denial of the meaning of the words of Jesus. In our current series we are attempting to identify our actual human needs as defined by scripture and we are seeking the way God has designed for these needs to be met. In this verse we need to find out the meaning of the word ‘meek’ and how it is to be applied if we are to faithfully hear Jesus words and put them into practice. Meek does not mean weak, submissive, or unassertive in the face of evil! Jesus is using a phrase from Psalm 37:11 and again used in the now familiar passage of Isaiah 61:1. Jesus is again announcing the fulfilment of the liberation promises through surrender to God’s inaugurated plan for justice for us and our communities. God’s justice is made possible for us to participate in through our practice of meekness; the exercise of surrender to the controlled power of God. In Numbers 12:3 Moses is described in the following words ‘Now the man Moses was very humble, more so than anyone else on the face of the earth.’ . Moses was meek not weak! He abandoned himself to the plan of God.  Jesus invites us in Matthew 11:29 to do likewise through participating in His meekness and humility: ‘²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.’ Jesus was not weak, submissive, or unassertive in the face of oppression and violence. The meek inherit through the ‘resistance of obedience’ to the Word and Will of God. Jesus fulfilled the promises of the plan of God. Whenever the Greek word (prays) that is translated here as Meek or Humble is used in the scriptures it is associated with making peace or peacefulness. Look at the story in Matthew 21 called the ‘Triumphal Entry’; in verse 5 King Jesus comes to His people ‘humble’. This is again a quote from the Hebrew Scriptures, this time from the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Jesus is the humble ‘peace-making’ King. The Apostle Paul refers to God as ‘The God of peace’ in Romans 15:33. Jesus calls on His disciples to love our enemies (Matthew 5: 43-48). Not easy, not weak, not unassertive but the power of Devine Justice under the control of God. If we would be blessed and be a blessing then we have to surrender to the God of peace and participate in the peaceful Kingdom inaugurated by Jesus. We need to be peacemakers.  Read Psalm 37.  

BBC JUST WAR THEORY           

Prayer: Loving God and Father make us peacemakers through being humble and gentle disciples of Jesus your Son through the power of your indwelling Holy Spirit and for your glory.  Amen