Life In The Kingdom Of Heaven-Part2 Series

The mourners are the meek, a contradiction of the world viewpoint of life. The meek are those who quietly submit themselves to God, to His word and to His rod, who follow His directions, and comply with His plans for their lives and the world. They are gentile towards all men. They bear provocation without being inflamed by it; are either silent, or return a soft answer; and who can show their displeasure when there is occasion for it, without being transported into any indecencies; who can be cool when others are hot; and in their patience keep possession of their own souls, when they can scarcely keep possession of any thing else. The meek are rarely and hardly provoked, but quickly and easily pacified; and who would rather forgive twenty injuries than revenge one, the meek.

The meek are blessed because although not perfect as Jesus is, they are like Him. They are, although not perfect as their heavenly Father is, who is Lord of His anger, and in whom fury is not, they are like Him. They are blessed because they have the most comfortable, undisturbed enjoyment of themselves, their friends, their God; they are fit for any relationship, and condition, any company; fit to live, and fit to die. They are blessed because they will inherit the earth. This does not mean they will always have what they need to live fulfilling lives in this world. We are not promised beds of roses in this life. Meekness, however ridiculed and run down, has a real tendency to promote our health, wealth, comfort, and safety, even in this world.

There have been many debates as to what exactly is this meekness. It has been defined as humility. This definition does not fully reveal all that is included in meekness. In Scripture there is a link between meekness and lowliness (Matthew 11:29; Ephesians 4:1-2), between meekness and gentleness (2nd Corinthians 10:1; Titus 3:2), between meekness and humbleness (Psalm 25:9). In the Beatitude Jesus is describing the orderly development of God’s grace in the soul. First there is recognizing the condition of the heart that leads to mourning and brings the sinner to his knees. This leads to a radical change in the life of the sinner who has been adopted as a son of God.

Meekness is the by-product of self-emptying and self-humiliation, a broken will and a receptive heart before God. It is the opposite of pride, stubbornness, fierceness, and vengefulness. It is the taming of the lion. It is the opposite of love of ease, absence of sensibility, stability, and other passions, susceptible of change in nature, modified in nature from good to evil that is found in the ungodly and religionist. Biblical meekness enables men of the most intense, passionate, impetuous, and merciless character by looking to Jesus through the grace of God learn to curb their tempers, cease from resentment, avoid offending by injurious words and actions, and forgive injuries done to them.

The fruits of meekness are first God ward. When this fruit is dominant in the heart the enmity of the carnal mind is subdued and the chastening of God is endured with quietness and patience. When man ward it causes the believer to endure patiently the insults and injuries he receives from his fellow man in both the secular and the church. It makes him ready to accept instruction or admonition. It enables the believer to endure provocations without being provoked to anger or vengeance. Paul told the Galatians, “Brothers, if a man is overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness (Galatians 6:1). This means not with a lordly or domineering attitude or a harsh and censorious temper, or with the love of finding fault and desire for inflicting discipline but with love, gentleness, humility and patience.

Meekness is not a sign of weakness. It is manifested in an individual who has yielded to God’s will and will not yield to or compromise with evil. God giving meekness enables us to stand up for God, the truth, and God giving rights. When God’s glory is profaned we are not to be sideliners but get involved in the spiritual warfare taking place in this world, nation, and community and denounce the profanity and those who profane God’s glory. Biblical meekness is never in conflict with the requirements of faithfulness to God, His cause, and His people.

The spirit of meekness enables us to get enjoyment out of what God has given us. It delivers us from a greedy and grasping disposition. It is not the proud and covetous who inherit the earth even though they for a time control many acres of it is the meek. For now we must be satisfied with the cottage God has provided for us rather than a palace of evil Satan is ready to give us.