The Strength of Gentleness
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
Matthew 5:5
Jesus and Pontius Pilate were a lesson in contrasts. Pilate had wealth; Jesus had nowhere to lay his head. Pilate had power; Jesus was defenseless. Pilate had influence; Jesus’ own disciples scattered at the first signs of trouble. Pilate had prestige; Jesus was reviled by the masses. Pilate had freedom; Jesus was a prisoner. Yet it was Jesus who was free. Jesus is the Lord of the universe. It is Jesus who possesses all power. It is Jesus who owns all things.
Jesus says, “blessed are the meek.” What is the meaning of meekness or gentleness? Meekness is not weakness. Rather, it is power under control. When a person is weak, he has no strength or ability to change his circumstances. The meek person does possess great strength and if he so chose, he could use it. But he chooses not to and is instead gentle. It is the strength of a lion tenderly caring for her cubs.
Consider the gentleness of Jesus who says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matt 11:28-30)” Of Jesus it is said, “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory.” Jesus is the Lord of lords and the King of kings. One day he will return to strike down the nations and rule with a rod of iron. (cf. Revelation 19:11-16) He is the conquering King, but he is gentle enough to not crush the brokenhearted.
Jesus says that the meek shall inherit the earth. The world says, “Survival of the fittest.” “To the victor go the spoils.” “Only the strong survive.” The world rewards ambition of the person driven to succeed. Here is the paradox, a man can gain the whole world and forfeit his soul. I saw a bumper sticker once that said, “The one who dies with the most toys, still dies.” You can gain the world, but you can’t take it with you. But the meek will inherit the earth.
What does this mean? Some, mistakenly I believe, tie this into Bible prophesy and see it as somehow fulfilled during the millennium. I don’t think that it is tied to the Old Testament promises to Israel either as some see a separate fulfillment for them. I think it is reality that God will refashion the created order and will join heaven and earth together for all eternity and he will live among his people. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. (Rev 21:1-3)”
The promise here is not ultimately about dirt on the ground, now or in eternity, but the reality that we will dwell with God for all eternity and that he himself will be with us when heaven and earth are jointed together. It is about the ultimate inheritance of those who through spiritual poverty and brokenness over sin have come to Jesus for eternal life. He gives us new life now and the promise of our dwelling with him forever.
