Walking With Christ

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.(ESV)

I find myself reading Matthew a lot even though I have several books that I love far more. Still, there is something about Matthew that keeps calling me back. It keeps pulling me in.

The sermon on the mount is, perhaps, the most famous, well-known, and important of the sermons that Christ gave. Verse five is found in what are known as the Beatitudes. Most of this sermon is like fire raining from heaven holding feet to fire and calling out sin in everyone. The beatitudes have a slightly different tone than the rest of the sermon. Verses five, seven, and nine all have something in common.

Most people read the beatitudes from the downtrodden and oppressed perspective. Most people see the lowly, weak, fearful, sad, and poor in these verses. The three I mentioned before don’t fit this narrative. To be merciful, one has to be in a position to show mercy. To be a peacemaker, one has to be in a dominant position. To be meek, one has to have power and strength that is under control. Meek does not mean weak as many people read it. Quite the opposite.

The best explanation I’ve ever hear for this is to think of a Roman war horse. Strong. Powerful. Willing to walk through fire, a raging battlefield, or even give up it’s life if that is what the rider demands. The horse is far from weak. It is meek. Meek never meant weak but rather controlled strength.

Think about it. A position of weakness cannot show mercy or make peace. Weakness can only beg. It is only from a position of strength that these things flow. God is all powerful. He shows us near infinite mercy. He pursues peace. He has the power to force us if we resist, but He won’t do that because it violates the laws of free will and love.

Have a blessed day and remember to be meek, be merciful, and pursue peace.