Blessed (part 3)

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

“Meek” is kind of a tough one.  I am not a Bible scholar or anything, but the Greek word that we have replaced with “meek” is “praus” (pronounced PRAH – OOSE).  Meek, in our dictionary talks about being deficient in spirit and courage.  It sounds like “wimp” to me.  There is no way Jesus is talking about being a wimp.  However, “praus” is more of a reliance on God and accepting His will in EVERY circumstance.  It is power under control.  It is power submitting itself to God.  Hopefully, I can make this make sense in the next few paragraphs.

My basketball coach used to wear a t-shirt to practice that said “the meek will inherit the Earth,” then on the back it said “but they won’t get the ball!”  Once again, this implies that “meek” is “weak.”  When Jesus was being arrested in John 18 He was in perfect control.  He was very submissive, He knew that this was the will of the Father because He had just prayed 3 times for an alternate ending.  Peter, on the other hand, went sword slinging.  He cut off a soldier’s ear with his sword.  Then, Jesus says probably my favorite line in the whole Bible and gives us a perfect picture of meekness (found in Matthew 26).  He says “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will not at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”  In the Salem Standard Version it says “If I wanted to…I could lay the smack down on all these people trying to hurt me…but I‘m choosing not to!”

The reason I am writing this little series is because I believe that the beatitudes are a process that every true believer goes through.  First, you realize you are poor in spirit and gain access to the kingdom of God.  Second, you mourn your old way of life, then you are comforted.  Next, is this process in which you become meek.

I have lots of power over certain people in my life.  Being a teacher, I have 70 students that I have a great deal of power over.  However, I choose to be a servant to my students.  I want to serve them in hopes that they will choose to serve me back.  I have this same power over my two kids and my wife.  Physically, I could harm them all.  However, there is no way I am going to lord that power over them, I choose to serve them…once again, in hopes that they will want to serve me back.  Now, before you think I am perfect in meekness…believe me, I am still working on this one.  In fact, I don’t believe you can work on it.  I believe it is simply given to you the more you submit to the Lord and are filled with His Spirit.

Meek people will inherit the Earth.  In God’s coming kingdom, it will be governed by meek people who have submitted themselves to God.  This is directly opposite of the arrogance that is displayed by the leaders of today.  One day, the meek will inherit the earth, and all of creation will be glad to submit themselves to this new authority.

So, do you still get angry in a long, slow moving line where they have 20 registers but only two of them open?  Do you still want to fight when the person pulls out in front of you and goes 20 m.p.h.?  Do you still want to lash back out when someone “says something” to you?  If you do, you need to pray.  Ask God to help you get in control of your emotions.  Learn to pray in the long line.  Learn to pray for the person that just pulled out in front of you.  Once again, if you think I am able to do this every time…you are crazy!  However, there are those occasions that I purposefully decide beforehand that I will choose meekness.  Absolutely every time I have chosen meekness…

I have been blessed!  Just like Matthew 5:5 said I would be.

Later

Adam