Blessed Are the Meek

Pushy, rough, harsh, knock-down, drag-out efforts put people in position to get theirs.

Perhaps we think of the cloak-clothed inhabitants of Palestine in the fi rst century as wholly rural, keep-to-myself, community concerned kind of people. There were some of those. Th ere were others, though, who were urbanites, concerned mostly for themselves and used to maneuvering their way up the leadership ladder using whatever means were necessary.

Some of the people listening to the Jesus Perspective on the mountainside were being called to continue in their gentleness with the promise that they, not the harsh, would inherit the earth. That might have been hard to believe for those who knew that even the priesthood could be purchased. Others were there who were being called to dramatically change their view about achieving success.

As Matthew recorded the Sermon on the Mount in his gospel account years after Jesus spoke the words those harsh people were still around and increasing in numbers probably, and the disciples of Jesus were likely having a harder time remaining meek.

You’ve got some opportunity in the next twenty-four hours to be pushy. You will be in a position in which some heaviness would get you something that you want. That possibility might present itself before breakfast in your own home. You might have several opportunities in your office or at the job site. Maybe the most obvious chance to move ahead hard will be in the softball game you play with your church team.

You might get your way in your home, and the price paid will be the feelings of your wife or husband or kids. You might close the big deal and look good for your superior or customer, at the expense of the trust or friendship of a colleague. You might coerce Blue so that the call goes your way on the next close call; and think the cost is minimal.

But the heavenly view is that the meek will inherit the earth. What are you going to do with that? That’s Life at Work!