Mat 5:5  Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

What is meekness?

Meekness (or gentleness) is not weakness or timidity but a dependence on God.  It is a “humble and pliable submission to God’s will which reflects itself in humility, patience, and forbearance towards others, regarding even insult or injury as God’s means of chastisement or training.” Aristotle defined meekness as the mean between excessive anger and a total lack of anger.

The two persons mentioned in the Bible as especially meek, gentle or humble are Moses (Num 12:3) and Jesus (Mat 11:29).  When the Israelites rebelled against Moses, he would seek the Lord and not seek retaliation.  Yet, he confronted the Pharoah of Egypt, and when the Israelites were worshiping a golden calf, Moses was not afraid to take on about 2 million Israelites who were under his leadership. He was no wimp.  Although Jesus described Himself as gentle and humble in heart (Mat 11:29), He drove the money changers from the temple area and was not afraid to challenge the Roman and Jewish authorities.  He was no wimp.  Both demonstrated gentleness combined with strength, trusting God to vindicate them, but not afraid to stand up when they were defending God’s honor or God’s Truth.

So, why do the meek inherit the earth?

In the system of this world the meek seem like the last to get anything.  It is the strong who get what they want.  It is the tough, the overbearing who succeed in the struggle for existence; weaklings go to the wall.  But, God says that the meek will prevail.  Why can He say that?  First, because the long-run often reveals what the short-run can hide.  Psalm 37 says that the wicked, the evil person  seems like he is prospering, but in the long-run he soon passes away and is no more (vss. 35,36).  Those who depend on the Lord will inherit the land (vs. 11).

Second, God owns everything and He will give all things to those who bear His family resemblance – the humble, gentle, meek, righteous, blameless, upright person.  We may not get everything in this life, but we will receive everything in the restored earth.  Think about it, if you were God, who would you give the earth to?  The one first in line, who is butting others in order to get ahead, or the one who loves you deeply, trusts in you and comes to you with outstretched hands, with humility, with thankfulness for even the little things in life.  In the end, God gives His whole inheritance to His children who depend on Him – the meek, humble and gentle.