“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5 (ESV)).
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us that if we are a part of His Kingdom, we will be meek or gentle. One of the big problems is, we are not always sure what it means to be gentle. We might confuse gentleness with timidity or weakness. Weakness certainly isn’t what Jesus spoke about. It’s a matter of our heart.
When we truly appreciate what Christ has done for us — when we understand that we do not, and never will, have the ability to stand before the throne of God unspotted (except through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ) — then we can start to develop a heart of gentleness. It’s when our heart can take all of our emotions and use them appropriately. It’s when our heart refuses to allow us to fly off the handle in rage because someone has offended us or disappointed us. It’s when we don’t feel as though we have to tell somebody off because we have had a disagreement with them. Just because we do not hold the same views as someone else does not mean that we should necessarily dislike them, or shun them. We can disagree and still be friends.
If we can develop this spirit of gentleness or meekness, we will be able to have a heart that blesses those around us. In a world filled with hard-headed and hard-hearted people, may God help us as His people to show the world a spirit of gentleness.
“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3 (ESV)).
Colin R. Vine