April 18

Meekness

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. — Matt 5:5 BSB

Meekness isn’t a popular quality. The world sees it as weakness, as a spirit that tolerates insult, endures wrong without revenge, and returns kindness for unkindness. To many, this seems unmanly and cowardly, a lack of spirit.

That might be true if we looked to worldly figures as our models for manliness. But we have a greater example—Jesus Christ, the only perfect man who ever lived. Meekness was one of His noblest qualities. He was gentle, not easily provoked, patient under wrong, and silent under reproach. When He was insulted, He didn’t retaliate; when He suffered, He didn’t threaten. Though He had all power, He never used it to avenge Himself. He responded to human wrath with love, and even on the cross, as He bled, He prayed for His executioners.

Meekness, then, is not weakness. In Christ, it shines as a divine quality. It’s godlike to forgive those who wrong us, to endure mistreatment with patience, to give soft answers to harsh words, to return blessing for cursing, and good for evil. This is a hard lesson to learn because it goes against human nature. We can only learn it as our lives are transformed into the image of Christ and He lives in our hearts.

This beatitude also shows that meekness isn’t an impoverishing grace. The meek will inherit the earth. Those who trust God to judge righteously and leave to Him the settling of life’s injustices will not lose in the end.