“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” —Matthew 5:5
The NLT translates the word “meek” as “humble.”
The Passion Translation renders the word, “gentleness.”
The MSG reads, “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are — no more, no less..”
Jesus’ promise to the meek, humble, or gentle is that “they will inherit the earth.”
Some believe that the reference to “earth” is a reference to “land,” as in “promised land.”
That relatively small strip of land in the Middle East has been the focus of so much struggle and bloodshed for centuries. In Jesus’ day, a group of Jewish people known as the Zealots wanted to rise up against the Roman occupation and take it back by force.
Today, the small nation of Israel stands alone, surrounded on all sides by radical groups and entire nations who would like nothing more than their complete annihilation, fighting to preserve the right to simply exist. (By the way, I stand with Israel.)
But this post isn’t about that conflict, it’s about Jesus’ promise in Matthew 5:5.
“Blessed are the meek, humble or gentle…for they will inherit the earth…” In other words, “They’ll step into the fulness of their inheritance…”
Jesus’ promise in Matthew 5:5 is very similar to a passage that appears in Psalm 37:11 where David wrote:
“…the meek will possess the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.” —Psalm 37:11
There’s that word again. Meek, lowly, gentle…
The Passion Translation renders that verse:
“…the humble of heart will inherit every promise and enjoy abundant peace.”
—Psalm 37:11 TPT
I’m a “pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps” kind of guy. I tend to believe that I have to fight, claw, scrape, and work hard for anything good that happens to me. I sometimes live as if the good things in my life are a result of my grit, perseverance, hard work, and tenacity. Or, at least my “apparent” grit and hard work.
That is until I just can’t fight, claw, scrape, or gut it out any longer. Until all my energy and efforts produce nothing but sweat, tears, and a dead end.
The truth is, sometimes I need to fight. So do you. (Check out passages like Ephesians 6; 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Corinthians 10:4; Romans 8:37.)
Fighting reminds us of our authority.
But sometimes, I need to surrender. So do you.
Surrendering reminds us of HIS AUTHORITY.
Sometimes I need to be humble and dependent enough just to “stand still and see the salvation of the Lord” (Exodus 14:13-14; Psalm 46:10).
The surrender required to just “stand still” reminds me of my identity. It reminds me that I’m a child of the Father and when I can’t fight any longer, He is fighting for me (Romans 8:31).
Against my “David Goggins Wanna-Be” approach to life, Jesus puts His personal spin on a promise contained in Psalm 37.
“Blessed are the humble of heart… …those who are content with who they are — no more, no less...
for they will inherit every promise and enjoy abundant peace…”
Inheriting my “promised land” isn’t about what I can do.
Inheriting yours isn’t about what you can do.
It’s about admitting what we can’t do.
And trusting what He has done.
It’s about having the humility necessary to admit, “I need help. Not just any help. Lord, I need Your help.”
Author Kelly Minter, in her excellent devotional, The Blessed Life, describes Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 5:5 like this:
“When our propensity is to fight, Jesus says… ‘Blessed are you when you trust Me to fulfill what God has promised you. Drop your swords. Stop trying to control outcomes through religious effort. Don’t adapt to the world to gain the world… [Instead]… humbly wait on the Father to bring justice and the full arrival of His kingdom. Determine to forgo getting even and taking what may even be rightfully yours by demand or force, because I’ve already secured the world for you…” [i]
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” —Matthew 5:5
“…the meek will possess the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.”
—Psalm 37:11 TPT
Ready. Set. Surrender.
[i] Kelly Minter, The Blessed Life, p 26, Kindle Edition.