Blessed Are The Meek

 

Meekness is the opposite of revenge, just as humility is the opposite of pride. Meekness and humility are two Christian graces that go hand in hand into the eternal fatherland, and these gifts are acquired as soon as one is truly converted by God. Meekness is also the exact opposite of ill temper, impatience, and grumbling when things do not got to suit us. Christian meekness will not make one lukewarm. Cold indifference and unconcern are equally far removed from meekness and humility.

Jesus was meek and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29), and we must be the same or we cannot find true rest for our soul.

 

Meekness acts as a balance which stabilizes the soul and prevents either extreme poverty or luxury and translates the mind to such a disposition of truth and purity that it can endure all injustice, whether it be inflicted by inconsistencies of professing Christians or by the wickedness of ungodly worldlings. When this Christian meekness controls our mind it is usually referred to as submissiveness and it gives us grace to be content with all things that our dear Lord allows to befall us whether that be prosperity or misfortune, joy or mourning. . Those who are truly meek have patience in their soul and patience subdues all things.

True meekness not only conceals outward strife and refrains from using unkind words and unchristian expressions against our persecutors but also protects the heart from evil thoughts and gives us enough compassion to pray for them. True meekness hates sin but it loves the sinner, because the same God that created us can also redeem him. Mere outward professors of Christianity believe that if they were to accept all that is taught in the Sermon on the Mount they could not exist in this world; could not earn a living or retain their possessions. Yes, if God were not all in all, then this might be the case, but when He arises in judgment to defend the meek, they shall inherit the earth and not the earth them. They shall inherit the new earth and possess it already by faith as Peter teaches, “But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (II Peter 3:3). Pride and vanity, which are the greatest hindrance in following Jesus Christ are removed by becoming poor in spirit. And furthermore, unconcern and lukewarmness will not permit true religion to take root in the soul until they are removed by godly sorrow. Even so, impatience and anger are hindrances which must be removed by Christian meekness.