Matthew 5:5 – “The Beatitudes—Blessed are the Meek”
by Pastor Kevin Wattles
preached at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
Falls Church, Virginia
6th Sunday after Pentecost, July 12, 2009
We call it by a variety of names:
• “Keeping up with the Jones’”
• “The Comparison Game”—sometimes or frequently comparing ourselves to others
• Trying to be something or somebody we’re not because we think that then we will be truly happy
Comments such as these may be made in the realm of what is known as “self-esteem”—how we view ourselves;
how we see ourselves; what we think of ourselves…and in the examples I’ve given, how we view ourselves and
see ourselves compared to others. Medical and educational professionals talk of people having high or healthy
self-esteem…and of people having lower—and sometimes even “unhealthy” self-esteem. How we view
ourselves; how we see ourselves—our self-esteem—emanates from our character. Our “character” is “who we
are on the inside.”
As I mentioned when we began this message series on the Beatitudes of Jesus, the Beatitudes are about
character, Christian character—whom God has made us “on the inside” as Christians. The Beatitude before us
today about “whom God has made us on the inside” is from Matthew 5:5. In this verse Jesus says, “Blessed are
the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”
As with last week’s Beatitude, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted,” this week’s
Beatitude can also seem confusing. The confusion often centers around the word “meek.” Merriam-Webster’s
Online Dictionary defines “meek” as: 1) enduring injury with patience and without resentment 2) deficient in
spirit and courage 3) not violent or strong. Today, the last two meanings are the ones most English speakers
think of when they hear the word “meek”—“deficient in spirit and courage; not violent or strong.” For example,
consider the fighters in the popular sport of Ultimate Fighting. Last night the “Ultimate Fighting
Championships” had some important bouts (Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir and Georges "Rush" St-Pierre vs.
Thiago "Pitbull" Alves). One doesn’t think of someone who participates in a sport known as “Ultimate
Fighting” to be meek; or a guy nicknamed “Pitbull” to be known for his meekness! Yet, according to the first
definition of “meek” (and by the way, the definition of “meek” that has been used in history for a lot longer than
the “modern” definition)—“enduring injury with patience and without resentment” very well could apply to any
of the Ultimate Fighters that I mentioned. Being able to “endure injury with patience and without resentment” is
one of the keys to being a successful “Ultimate Fighter.” A fighter can’t allow injury, or his opponent causing
that injury, to take him off his focus as a fighter. “Enduring injury with patience and without resentment” is
along the lines of what Jesus is getting at when he says, “Blessed are the meek…”
What does it mean to be “meek” in this sense, in the sense of Matthew 5:5? Allow me to offer some examples
from the Bible of what it means to possess the kind of “meekness” of which Jesus speaks in the Beatitude
before us.
• To be “meek” is Jesus suffering before his enemies at the end of his life; yet “as a sheep before her
shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).
• It’s Jesus praying for those who were executing him, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know
what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
• It’s the unselfish kindness shown by the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).
• To be meek is to recognize what Jesus meant when he taught, “If someone strikes you on one cheek,
turn to him the other also” (Luke 6:29).
• To be meek is to say along with the Apostle Paul, “I can do everything through him (Jesus) who
gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).
• It’s to say with Paul, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11).
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It’s a husband loving his wife as Christ loved the church and a wife respecting her husband (Ephesians
5:22-33).
It’s Abraham allowing Lot to choose first the land on which his herds would be kept.
It’s David in his relationship with King Saul.
It’s Jeremiah faithfully speaking the unpopular message which God sent him to tell.
It’s Stephen being martyred.
To be “meek” as Jesus speaks of being “meek,” isn’t about outward power (or a lack of it); it’s about inner
strength that comes from God. It’s about recognizing “who I am” before God. It’s about Christian character. It’s
the characteristic that God has raised up in those who, by God’s grace, recognize that they have inherited the
earth. It’s what is next in the progressive line of the Beatitudes… “Blessed are the poor in spirit…Blessed are
those who mourn…Blessed are the meek…” (look at diagram below)
To be “meek,” for us as Christians as “meekness” is spoken of in the Beatitudes, is to hear the message of
God’s Law in the Beatitudes—that we are “poor is spirit,” and that leads us to “mourn” over our sins, the
consequences of sin in this world, and death…and recognize that message for what it is; and that it has
application to us.
But to be “meek,” for us as Christians as “meekness” is spoken of in the Beatitudes, is also to hear the message
of God’s Gospel—the good news of Jesus—in the Beatitudes—that God has made us citizens of his kingdom
through the atoning sacrifice of his Son, Jesus, on the cross; that God has comforted through the hope we have
because of Jesus’ victory over sin and the grace. It’s to see Jesus all over the Beatitudes; to hear the “music” of
his love, forgiveness, peace, and promise of heaven—and recognize that message has personal application to us;
it applies to us.
To be “meek” means we recognize what God has done for us; and that we “inherit the earth.” As we hear
Jesus speak of us, as Christians, inheriting the earth, we may find ourselves wondering what in the world Jesus
is talking about here! We may say to ourselves, “I haven’t inherited a thing! What is Jesus getting at here?”
Think of what Jesus is saying to us here like this: If one knows his or her place before the almighty, holy,
Creator-God of the Universe—and that place is good; we’re “A-OK” with God through faith in Jesus Christ—
then…we really do “have it all,” don’t we?
• Our place with God is good on account of Jesus. We want for nothing here.
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If we recognize that things are “exactly right” between God and us because of Jesus, then we also have
the recognition that “where we’re at in life right now”—our current lot and role in life—is where God
wants us to be at this time. It’s the message of Romans 8:28 that God is working all things for our good.
Recognizing these things, playing games such as “Keeping up with the Jones’,” “The Comparison Game,” and
“Trying to be something or somebody we’re not” become foolish. This is going to sound a bit crass, but the
truth is for us, as Christians, it doesn’t really matter what anybody else thinks of us. The only one whose
opinion of us matters—in the eternal sense—is God’s. He’s told us what he thinks of us in Jesus. We have all
that we need in Jesus. In Jesus, God has a purpose and plan for us—that’s good—and he’s carrying that out!
Therefore our character—who we are “on the inside”—comes from God. This is something that God has raised
up in us, as Christians, and is working to keep within us. From this Christian character comes our healthy “selfesteem.” But considering what Jesus has said to us this morning about being “meek” and “inheriting the earth,”
“self-esteem” doesn’t really seem like the appropriate term for us as Christians, does it? “Jesus-esteem”—whom
Jesus has made us; or “God-esteem”—whom we are before God…seems much more fitting.
A question I have for you, though, regarding all this is, “Do we try and push this away?” The Beatitudes tell us
that this meekness and “inheritance of the earth” are blessings God has given us, as Christians, and is working
to keep within us. Do we find ourselves working against what God is doing?
“How do I know if I’m doing this?” we might find ourselves asking. Well, if we find ourselves playing the
“Keeping Up with the Jones’” game, or the “Comparison Game,” or wishing we were something or somebody
whom we are not, then chances are pretty good that we’re trying to push away the meekness and “inheritance of
the earth” with which God has blessed us. Trying to push away the good things that God has done and continues
to do for us is sinful. Sin harms our relationship with God. Sin doesn’t help our faith.
The Bible tells us that where God’s Word makes us aware of sin in our lives we are to repent. And so when it
comes to pushing away the meekness and “inheritance of the earth” with which God has blessed us, we ask for
God’s forgiveness. We know that God’s forgiveness for us in Jesus is a sure thing. Again, through Jesus we’re
“A-OK” with God.
I’m going to close with a visual illustration. I guess I’ve got in the habit of closing these Beatitude messages
with visual illustrations. Today’s illustration is that of an open book (show open Bible to congregation). My
guess is that many of us here have heard the expression of “our lives being open books.” That means that we
can’t hide anything. Our lives are out in the open for all to see. We’ve seen a couple powerful examples of that
this week in the high profile deaths of NFL quarterback Steve McNair and pop-music superstar Michael
Jackson. Their lives were “open books” this past week. At their memorial services we heard a lot of good about
both of them—how they were nice people, kind, how they gave back to the community, etc. But we also heard
some negative things about both of them—Steve McNair was having an affair with a young women whom I’ve
heard the news say it seems like she’s the one who shot McNair to death; and Michael Jackson’s addiction to
drugs. Steve McNair’s life and Michael Jackson’s life were “open books” this past week—with the “bad” and
the “good” about each of them.
Our lives are “open books” before God. God knows of our sin. God’s Word convicts us of our sin. But God’s
Word also tells us of our Savior, Jesus. On account of Jesus, we’re “exactly right” (justified) before God. That’s
a great message for us to hear and believe! That’s the great message upon which God has built our Christian
character and given us…shall we say… “Jesus-esteem”! Amen.
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