MEEK AND HUMBLE, WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT?


Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. 
(Matthew 5: 5 – NAS)

Most translations use the word “meek” for this verse, but the New American Standard has the word “gentle.” The New Living Translation uses the word “humble.” These possibilities are all interesting.

For modern usage, the word “meek” has fallen on hard times. The first definition given in the dictionary says “enduring injury with patience and without resentment, mild.” That doesn’t sound so bad. But it goes on with “deficient in spirit and courage; submissive; not violent or strong, moderate.” It is those later definitions that give the word its troublesome effect.

“Deficient in spirit” sounds similar to “poor in spirit,” but we tend to use “deficient” in a more negative sense, as if one has chosen to lack a quality. And I don’t think that is what Jesus is talking about. “Submissive” also carries a negative weight. The use of “humble” for the quality Jesus is referring to here might be closer to his intent. To be humble is to be something other than arrogant or proud. After all, it is possible to imagine that someone can be proud and still gentle (to a degree).

I think that Jesus meant a mix of these elements. I think he meant people who do not exalt themselves, people who will take the time to be kind to those they encounter, who are willing to be patient with the people they deal with each day.

In the musical Camelot, Mordred has a song where he mocks the virtues that King Arthur extols. He sings, “It’s not the earth the meek inherit, it’s the dirt.” He sees no benefit in being meek. The meek get trampled on, until they end up under the dirt, buried like trash – according to Mordred. That’s not a fate anyone desires. His attitude is the one that most of the world holds toward those who are meek and humble.

And yet, Jesus says it is these people who will inherit the whole earth. What’s going on here?

Let’s back up and look at the people he’s talking about, what they will look like when we see them.

Someone who is meek and humble will be patient with those around them. The meek and humble person is the woman in the line at the coffee shop, who when someone cuts in front of her, merely smiles and shrugs instead of making an angry protest. This person is the cashier in a store who is patient with the protesting customer, listening carefully and trying to explain the problem as calmly and clearly as possible, not giving into anger. The meek person is the one who quickly stops to help someone who has dropped packages on the sidewalk, and then goes on without any fuss.

These are simple enough actions, so why are they worthy of note?

They’re notable because we just don’t do them, not easily. And the fact is that when we do see people who act with humility and gentleness easily, we are impressed by them. We are touched by their acts of kindness.

Jesus says that these people will “inherit the earth.” That means they will be given “the earth.”

We don’t admit it, but we really do appreciate those who treat others with patience. We admire their ability to stick with the choice, acknowledging that we probably would not be able to do likewise. That is why they become the recipients of this divine inheritance. God trusts into the hands of these people the whole of the earth.

How do we change ourselves to become one of these people? What do we have to do to be one of the meek, humble, gentle?

One of the first elements of it, I believe, is that we have to be willing to swallow our own pride. Our personal dignity is not dependent on always getting deference we think is our due. We need to be ready to do the job at hand when it needs doing, and we need to do it without complaining. Our eyes cannot be on “the prize” because the minute we start looking for a reward, we stop paying attention to what is immediately in front of us. And that is why “the prize” is an inheritance – it is the choice of the giver, it is not a wage that is earned, and there is no indication of when one would receive the inheritance.

This is one of the qualities that Jesus praise (and blesses) that seems a bit easier to get into. Perhaps more of us should try it more often.