Now and Forever

Mt. 5:5  "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."

What does it mean to be meek?  Today, I think most of us picture a meek person as being overly submissive, a doormat that is continually trampled upon by others.  One who has little or no control over his own condition.  We confuse meekness with weakness.

Let's understand meekness by first understanding what it is not.  A meek person is not proud, impatient, quarrelsome, cruel, vengeful or quickly prone to anger.  A meek person, therefore, is humble, patient and enduring, agreeable, kind, forgiving and slow to anger.  Rather than having no control over his condition, he has complete control over it.  Meekness is having or exercising self-control based on humility.  I've read that meekness is absolute power under perfect control.  I like that.  Paul exhorted Titus (Tit. 3:2) and all to be meek, "to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men."  Jesus Christ, our perfect example in all things, was meek (Mt. 11:29).  We should be, too.

The inheritance promised to the Jews was the land (earth) of Canaan.  They considered Canaan to be a type of heaven under the special blessing of God.  As I understand it, the Jewish people also came to commonly refer to any great blessing as "inheriting the earth."  So then, Christ tells us that the meek will possess and enjoy the special blessings of God.  Now and forever.  For certainly now, while we are on earth, we as believers can see God's blessing in our lives and His promises to us fulfilled just as the Jews did entering Canaan.  But we can also look forward to the day when we will inherit a new earth (Rev. 21) and forever experience God's special blessings there.  Perfect health, complete happiness, joy and eternal life.

Meekness is rewarded by God with His special blessings.  Now and forever!


Sock Monkey Snippet:  In meekness, we shall inherit the earth.