Matthew 6:5
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
The meek submit. Godly sorrow, over one’s sin, leads, through repentance, to a humble submission to God’s authority and will. Godly sorrow and repentance force us to acknowledge a higher authority outside of ourselves.
The ‘poor in spirit’ look inwardly at themselves while the meek look humbly toward God. The ‘poor in spirit’ has his head down and is afraid and ashamed to look at God. The meek is just beginning to lift his head in humble submission to his creator. One who is meek relinquishes his rights. One who is meek desires that God get all the glory and submits to His holy will.
Again we see the progressive nature of these Beatitudes. Those who are ‘poor in spirit’ recognize their own sinfulness. This drives them into mourning over their sin. Their mourning produces Godly sorrow and causes them to turn to God for forgiveness. They turn to God in meekness with an attitude of submission.
The Promise: They shall inherit the earth. Again, we see the paradox. The one who releases his rights and surrenders his worldly ambitions and picks up divine ambitions will inherit the earth. Even today, we assume that the meek will get trampled upon. The aggressive and the ambitious will inherit the earth. The meek will not inherit anything. Not so, says Jesus. The meek shall inherit the earth.
Are you meek?
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