Don’t Miss Out—Make The Beatitudes—Your “BE-attitudes!”  PART 4 Meekness

The first two beatitudes (“poor in spirit” and “mourning“) deal with our attitude towards our relationship with God. The more we realize our absolute need for God and develop a strong aversion for sin, the more we are drawn deeper into His presence. Jesus has been laying the foundation for our blessings by teaching us how to have the healthiest and most beneficial attitude towards Him. This is foundational if we desire a blessed life. The next beatitude is about the right attitude in our relationship towards others.

Isn’t this exciting? 

Jesus taught:

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

Matthew 5:5

First, let’s dispel any notion that Jesus is encouraging us to live as spineless doormats. HE never lived as a weak-kneed coward a single day of His life, and He is not prescribing a weak way of life for us either. In fact, if you examine the lives of the New Testament Christians (especially the way they died), there is no doubt they were tougher than nails. As born again believers, Jesus wants us to be prepared to weather all the storms of life. We are warriors! If we belong to Him, the battle lines are drawn. He said: 

“He who is not WITH Me is AGAINST Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.”

Matthew 12:30

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”

Matthew 10:16

A dove is gentle. A serpent knows when to strike. We must strike the balance between the two when dealing with our fellow man. We must present the truth in love! Jesus is encouraging us to develop the right balance of strength, wisdom, and love. When we are poor in spirit (completely dependent upon Him), and if we have the right view of sin (we mourn its destructive force), our relationship with God’s Spirit will be healthy, and HE will show us how to achieve the balance between truth and love when dealing with others. 

It is God’s presence that develops meekness in us.

So what IS “meekness?” The Ancient Greek word for “meek” is “praus.” While our English language does not supply us with just one word as an adequate translation, it conveys the idea of one who is powerful; yet it has allowed humility to control that immense power. According to David Guzik’s Bible commentary:

In the vocabulary of the ancient Greek language, the meek person was not passive or easily pushed around. The main idea behind the word “meek” was strength under control, like a strong stallion that was trained to do the job instead of running wild.

In general the Greeks considered meekness a vice because they failed to distinguish it from servility. To be meek towards others implies freedom from malice and a vengeful spirit. (Quoting Carson)

The meek, who can be angry, but restrain their wrath in obedience to the will of God, and will not be angry unless they can be angry and not sin, nor will be easily provoked by others. (Quoting Poole)

The men who suffer wrong without bitterness or desire for revenge. (Quoting Bruce)

I like the example of a stallion because I have some experience with one. The attorney I clerked for in law school was a Vietnam Veteran. He had been a pilot until the tailhook on his plane broke during a landing on an aircraft carrier and his plane crashed into the ocean. He was paralyzed from the waist down. But he loved horses. He had an Arabian stallion named Karabe Del Ray. He knew I could ride so he asked me if I’d be interested in helping him keep Karabe exercised. I jumped at the chance! Every time I rode, it was exhilarating. He had so much spirit I could feel the energy exploding from him in each ride. His immense strength and speed were something else! But he could have never shared that experience with me unless he’d first been broken. And even more importantly, if he were to test his strength in a race, he would never even be allowed onto the track without having first been broken.

We, as Christians, are in a race against the enemies of God and all the forces of hell for the souls of people. 

We must bring ourselves under the power of God instead of running around fighting worthless battles like a bunch of uncontrolled stallions who can’t even get on the racterack! In Christ, we have been given incredible power. The Bible says it is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. Paul the Apostle prayed:

“that…the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know…what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places…” 

Ephesians 1:17-20

Do we understand the great gift of power which belongs to every born again believer? 

When we become meek, that power is harnessed and we get to be in the race and run the race for God’s glorious purpose! We will never understand or utilize this power unless we are first broken. The evidence that we are broken is when we understand our complete poverty without God and we hate sin. Then, when dealing with others, the fruits of God’s power spirit work through every area of our life! 

Meekness allows us to experience the outer limits of God’s power in our life. 

When we submit our will completely to God, we are willing to disregard our own “rights” in our relationships with others. It is enough for us to be “right” with God, who has given us the “right” to claim heirship with Jesus. Our measly “rights” here on earth are negligible. They are only coveted to the extent that they may be used to glorify God.

In fact, when people tread on our “rights” this “be-attitude” can produce a very powerful testimony for God’s glory!

A meek person has the inner strength to view criticisms, hate, rejection, and all manner of evil—through the lens of our glorious purpose. They are not weak. Rather, their restraint is as beautiful as that stallion using all his power to run a well-disciplined race against his opposition. Their power is not diminished by their humility, compassion, gentleness, and patience. It is magnified. A meek attitude manifests the fruit of God’s Spirit—irrespective of treatment by others—because God’s Spirit is NEVER defeated by evil.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

Galatians 5:22-25

To be both powerful and gentle is to be like Christ, the Creator and Sustainer of all things who made Himself nothing to give us everything. 

If He Creates and Sustains this earth, He will surely take care of us. He already paid the ultimate price for us. Those who are meek live with the CONFIDENCE of one who inherits the entire earth, because they view everything (including bad circumstances and mistreatment by others) through the lens of Scripture and the inspiration of the Spirit. They know God is in control. They know that their life purpose is to glorify God—and this purpose will NEVER be thwarted. 

Of this beatitude, Charles Spurgeon wrote:

“I had only to look upon it, all as the sun shone upon it, and then to look up to heaven, and say, ‘My Father, this is all thine; and, therefore, it is all mine; for I am an heir of God, and a joint-heir with Jesus Christ.’ So, in this sense, the meek-spirited man inherits the whole earth.” 

A final thought about the first three beatitudes. We will not achieve these vital attitudes if we are feeding the desires of the flesh. These blessed attitudes are achieved ONLY through Jesus Christ who has given our soul and spirit His nature. Tomorrow’s beatitude is brilliant because it tells us exactly what we need to be filling ourselves with in order to develop these be-attitudes in ourselves!