Blessed are the meek

"O the bliss of the man who is always angry at the right time and never angry at the wrong time, who has every instinct, and impulse, and passion under control because he himself is God-controlled, who has the humility to realize his own ignorance and his own weakness, for such a man is a king among men!" --William Barclay's rendering of the third Beatitude

"The man who is truly meek is the one who is truly amazed that God and man can think of him as well as they do and treat him as well as they do." --Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones

We studied the Beatitudes at the end of 2009 in the Sunday School class I have attended at church, and the person leading us through this section of Matthew's gospel brought these quotes as part of his teaching. Even though I have read the Beatitudes many times throughout my life, I have to admit that I haven't really spent much time reflecting on them. Which is unbelievable, given that they are some of the first words spoken by Jesus as He began His public teaching.

This week I was reminded of this Beatitude as I became indignant in a couple of situations where I felt I wasn't being properly heard or cared for. I argued in my mind that surely I deserved better treatment than this (being ignored in both situations). And as I was coming off of my high horse, I landed with a thud back in the familiar territory of self-protection and a critical spirit concerning the people involved.

As I reasoned with myself that I was totally justified in my attitude, these quotes rose to the surface of my heart. Planted there a couple of months earlier, they reminded me that I was angry about the wrong thing. I wasn't angry because someone else was being injured or because God's name was being dragged through the mud, I was angry that I didn't get what I felt I deserved.

In a culture that worships self-protection and personal rights, it doesn't come naturally to let go of them and choose humility and meekness. But as long as I cling to my own rights, my hands and heart are not free to love and give life to others. So today I am praying for the grace to let go...to embrace meekness...to get back on the path of love.