Blessed are...

Gentle Jesus

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5

An old hymn speaks of “gentle Jesus, meek and mild.” We bridle at the idea of a milque toast messiah, too weak to overcome evil, a pale Galilean at whose breath the world has turned gray. Perhaps Charles Wesley, who wrote the words, understood the language better than we do. He certainly knew his Bible better than most of us. Paul once referred to “the meekness and gentleness of Christ.”[1] His words remind us of Zechariah’s prophecy, often quoted on Palm Sunday, where Zion’s King is heralded as “righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey.”[2] And, just about the only time that Jesus spoke about qualities that were important in His own life, He described Himself as being “gentle and humble in heart,”[3] or, as the King James Version puts it, “meek and lowly.”

During His earthly ministry, Jesus was a perfect example of strength under control. When He was tempted by the devil, Jesus could have called legions of angels to His aid, but He did not.[4] Earth itself must have strained at the leash when He was mocked and spat upon, but He would not allow it to respond. He knew that He could not afford to meet anger with anger, and that if He was to overcome it would take all of the reserves of strength and self-control that He could muster. With those who perverted the law He was firm, but with those who broke it He was gentle. He could have thrown the first stone, instead He chose to lead those who had fallen, through true repentance and saving faith to the blessings of forgiveness. If Jesus was meek, it was with the gentleness born of strength.


Lord Jesus,
Yours was a gentleness that was never weak.
You were silent before Your accusers.
When Your followers denied You, You did not reproach them.
In Gethsemane, You called Judas “friend.”
On Calvary, You prayed for Your enemies.
As I learn to follow You, may I learn the gentleness
that does not retaliate, but is never weak.
For Your name’s sake.
Amen.

[1] II Corinthians 10:1
[2] Zechariah 9:9
[3] Matthew 11:29
[4] Matthew 4:5-7