Continuing in our Beatitudes study, we transition move to the third Beatitude,  “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”. Matthew 5:5.

The main idea we need to grasp this week is that with Jesus as our example, we can see that meekness is not a weakness, but a controlled strength rooted in our trust and delight in God. One ot the biggest challenges with this is to know that meekness is not passive, but actively waiting on God and trusting in his strength.
Now knowing what meekness is and how we are to trust in his strength, it is difficult to follow through and feel confident that we can practice meekness because God is trustworthy.

What are some ways you have seen or put your meekness into action?

One example of meekness of Jesus is  by never returning evil for evil or violence for violence.

When you think of the word “meekness,” what comes to mind? What people, past or present, exemplify what it means to be meek?

The virtue of meekness has fallen on hard times. Not only is it widely misunderstood, but even when rightly defined our culture doesn’t see meekness as something worth practicing. We prefer flamboyant displays of power and bravado to humility and quiet strength.

But, in the Beatitudes, Jesus shows us how our logic is upside-down, the inverse of his kingdom. In this session, we will explore how meekness is an essential quality for Christians and at the heart of what it means to be a faithful disciple of Jesus.

Let’s start out by reading the Beatitudes again.

¹ Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

The Beatitudes
² And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴ “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

⁵ “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

⁶ “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

⁷ “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

⁸ “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

⁹ “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons[a] of God.

¹⁰ “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. – Matthew 5:1-12 ESV

As we watch this week’s session, here are a few important things to look for. As we watch, pay attention to how these questions are answered.

• What phrase is used to define meekness?
• What four things identified will help us understand meekness?
• How does the exercise of meekness break the cycle of evil and violence?

Matthew 5:5 is an iconic passage, but the word “meek” can be a source of confusion for us. Does it mean passive? Risk-averse? To us, it may sound like Jesus is calling us to be pushovers.

Would you want to be described as meek? Why, or why not?

Moses and Jesus are both described as being meek, but neither was weak or passive. They were powerful leaders who were serious about justice and righteousness. In some moments, they were even “fierce,” as Matt suggested.

Why do we sometimes consider meekness to be incompatible with leadership?

Do you think it would be beneficial for our church, business, and political leaders to be meek? In what ways would meek leadership be different from the kind of leadership we often see today?

When Jesus was being arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter attacked one of the High Priest’s servants. In this scene, Peter is portrayed as the antithesis of Jesus and his meekness. (See John 18:1–11.

What would you do in this situation? Would you behave more like Peter or Jesus?

How do Peter’s actions show the absence of meekness (strength under control)? How do Jesus’s actions show us meekness in action?

In the video, Matt pointed us to Psalm 37, identifying four things that will help us understand and practice meekness.

¹ Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong.
² For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither.
³  Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
⁴  Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.
⁵  Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.
⁶  He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
⁷  Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.
⁸  Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm.
⁹  For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.
¹⁰  Soon the wicked will disappear. Though you look for them, they will be gone.
Psalm 37:1-11 NLT

To exercise meekness, we must first “trust God and do good” (v. 3). Of course, trusting God isn’t always easy and it often is easier to choose our own path instead of God’s.

Why do you think it can be so difficult to trust God when we are under pressure? What would it look like for you to trust God with your current struggles?

When we trust God, we will often be required to wait on his timing. Even when everything in us wants to react, waiting on God will require us to be patient and, sometimes, inactive.

How good are you at waiting on God before trying to fix your problems? Before making a consequential decision? What can make it difficult for you to wait?

We need to remember, meekness is not a character defect, a weakness, or extreme passivity. Meekness is, as it was defined, meekness is “strength under control.” Being meek often involves waiting but requires us to be ready and willing to act when God calls.

What’s an example of a time when you failed to wait on God before acting or making a significant decision?

When have you waited on God’s timing, acting only after God called on you to do so? How was the outcome different than if you had acted when you wanted?

In the video it was stated that meekness is the most powerful response to evil and injustice. Meekness breaks the cycle of evil and violence by refusing to participate in it. This doesn’t only apply to outrageous examples of violence and injustice but to our office arguments, trouble in our relationships, social media interactions—any time we are in conflict with someone else.

How could meekness diffuse an argument? What are some specific examples and opportunities (at work, in a church small group, with a friend) where you can practice meekness?

Meekness is not weakness. Rather, it is strength under control—the practice of holy restraint. Jesus is our perfect example of meekness, using his strength to serve others and restraining his power according to the will of the Father. Now, “all authority in heaven and earth” belongs to Jesus. In other words, Jesus is living proof that the meek will inherit the earth.

So, as we go about our normal, day-to-day life, strive to imitate the meekness of Jesus, whose strength was displayed most vividly in the act of laying his life down for his friends.