When Jesus finished the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew says the listeners were astonished at His teaching. It was so different from what they were used to hearing from the scribes, the religious authorities of the day. The teaching of Jesus is still fresh and often in stark contrast with conventional wisdom. No better example can be found than when Jesus said (Matt 5:5): “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
The same word, also translated as humble or gentle, describes Jesus (Matt 21:5): “Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden." How many kings can be described as meek and how can you inherit the earth by meekness?
James equates meekness with wisdom (James 3:13): “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.” He contrasts the wisdom of Jesus with the wisdom of the world (James 3:14-17): “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.”
James describes exactly the disorder and evil of the world today, full of selfish ambition and jealousy, a world missing the pure, peaceful, gentle and reasonable wisdom of Jesus. The meekness that comes from learning and following the teachings of Jesus is not weakness. It is the humility, gentleness, peace and mercy that come from confidence in the reasonableness and truth of what He says, the courage of perseverance in following Him no matter what.
The third key to happiness: study and follow the teachings of Jesus, His example of meekness and inherit all the true blessings and
Comments