Meekness and promised majesty

Read Matthew 5:5-6

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Those who are poor in spirit (3) and who mourn over their sin (4) are able to learn what it means to be meek (5). Meekness is often wrongly understood to be weakness but in fact it indicates the gentleness with strength which characterised Jesus. The same Greek word is used when he says “I am gentle (meek) and humble in heart” (Mt.11:29) and such gentleness is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal.5:23; Eph.4:2).

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When Christ lives in us by his Spirt we can indeed be “lowly and meek, yet all powerful”. Knowing how dependent we are on the grace of God enables us to be long-suffering when provoked, trusting God to work through a gentle spirit. This will bring a blessing far greater than getting our own way in this world – we will share in the promised inheritance of God’s kingdom coming on earth (Mt.19:28-29; Rom.8:17-21).

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All of this should lead us to long for God’s way of righteousness (i.e. living right) to grow in our lives (6; Mt.6:33). In Christ is a source of life which fully satisfies and yet which is always able to fill us more and more (Jn.4:14). So “there is perhaps no greater secret of progress in spiritual living than a healthy, hearty spiritual appetite” (J. Stott).