Matthew 5 - The gentle

Matthew 5:5 (HCBS) Blessed are the gentle, because they will inherit the earth.

I was raised to view "meekness" more as the sign of weakness rather than a blessing. A gentle or meek man was someone who would not stand up for himself. Someone who would cower away from a fight. Someone who might have been described as a "patsy." But yet, this is one of those many occasions where what man means for bad, God means for good.

This character trait of gentleness is also attributed to Jesus himself. In Matthew 21, Jesus sends two disciples to get a donkey and her colt so that the prophesy of Zechariah 9:9 would be fulfilled.

Zechariah 9:9 (HCSB)
Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your King is coming to you;
He is righteous and victorious,
humble and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

In Matthew 21:5, the King is described as gentle, but the original Hebrew translation of humble really gets to the root of the kind of character that Jesus is blessing in this beatitude. The gentle or meek person described here is one who is truly humble before others, content with who they are and accepting of God's provision on their behalf. In modern terms, the gentle ones love to F.R.O.G. (Fully Rely On God).

As a result of this character trait, Jesus says they will inherit the earth. As described in The Message, Matthew 5:5b, "That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought." Those who are content and humble realize they already have much more than those who are pursuing money and things for the accumulation of wealth.

Take refuge in your gentleness or meekness. Your humility before God will be rewarded.