The meek are not weak

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

-Jesus

The meek are not weak. The meek are the strongest among us. They are often quiet and are always disinclined to having their names put up on marquees, buildings, and the cover of magazines. The meek deserve the spotlight and all the awards you could give them, but they slip away when you try to hang accolades across their shoulders. The meek know they are not the best at anything. Yet they are strong and in their strength lies a power that moves in them mysteriously springing forth from an invisible and transcendent Source. When they speak, their words always carry weight, the heft of a gentle, knowing authority comes gently flowing out from them without forcing itself on you; it’s just there if you need it.

The meek do not care what you think about them because their only concern is quietly loving whoever and whatever is right in front of them with God who dwells within them. You can say whatever you want about the meek, you can cut them up with insults and you can project all your pain onto them in a hateful outburst. While they feel pain, the meek do not eat your pain and let it live in their bodies. They pass your pain directly on to God who is happy to have it as absorbing the pain of the world is the work of his Son.

The meek have power, but they do not wield it or lord it over anyone. They use their power to look deeply into your face to see if they can see the preciousness about you, the Dignity that is your source, and then help you see it too. They use their power to love God which always leads them to loving what God loves which is you.

The meek are seldom elected to hold political office. They don’t possess qualities that would get them very many votes. But what’s really working against them at election time is that the meek would never run for office. Power doesn’t interest them. Thus the meek are the ones who should be in charge, but never will be, at least not while success, self-interest, and control are the currencies of the realm.

Jesus knows all this, and he’s cool as can be about it all. Don’t worry, he seems to say, the meek will inherit the earth. One day the meek will be in charge. One day our obsession with celebrity and being heard and seen and clever and right and in charge will wilt on the vine and die. We will then turn to the meek and realize that they have been quietly loving us and praying for us all along, and we will follow them down the path of peace and finally live in the harmony that has always been our destiny. 

The meek are not weak, they are strong because the quiet strength of God flows through them. If we follow in their footsteps they will lead us back to Eden.

But no matter what we do or choose not to do, even if we continue in our recalcitrant, violent ways, the meek will sing us this tender song: “All will be well, and all will be well, and all manner of things will be well.” 

Don’t worry too much, for one day soon the meek will inherit the earth.