In today's text about counter intuitive living, Jesus continues to say things that must have truly alarmed His first century followers. Like most people of most time periods, they valued what author Greg Boyd refers to as "power over." it is the way of the world. The strong succeed. The weak fail. Rome ruled ancient Israel because Rome had more power than Israel. When Israel enjoyed power, it ruled other nations and enjoyed great prosperity, especially under the reigns of David and Solomon. Every Jew living in Jesus' day, wanted a return to those glory days. Jesus, however, was introducing a new way of thinking, the way of His kingdom.
He said, "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5).
The New Testament word for meek in this verse refers to mildness, a gentleness of spirit, humility and a desire to submit (especially to God) without resistance. The mothers of Jesus' followers did not teach their sons to to be meek. The local Rabbi was not teaching Jews living under Roman rule to be meek. Yet, Jesus teaches an ancient truth, something found in Psalm 37:11. Rabbis of Jesus' day were not unfamiliar with this text. Some of them had committed the Psalms, the Prophets and the Law to memory. It says that the meek will inherit the land (God's land) and enjoy peace and prosperity. Jesus is helping His followers to see that the way to inheriting the land (a prize possession to ancient Jews) was by becoming meek.
There is no reason to believe that the meek should be construed as people without a mind of their own. They are people who have learned that yielding to God is the best path forward. The meek have given up on self-rule and the personal motto of "my will be done!" for "Thy will be done!" They see an advantage to living a "Christ first, Christ always" kind of life. Submission to the lordship of Christ is what sets them apart. They are promised dominion. Do you wish to grow in the virtue of meekness?
More about Counter Intuitive living next week.