I heard Jordan Peterson talking about the verse in Matthew that says “The meek shall inherit the earth” because he was puzzled at the word “meek” and what it really meant. He says he looked into the original word and it means something to the effect of “He who has a sword and keeps it sheathed will inherit the earth.” I think in the Church, we have understood this for a long time, though not really contemplated it.
A child of the Living God is very powerful when they understand their identity, but it’s not their power that is remarkable as much as their restraint, and ultimately their charity. In fact, to know your identity in The Kingdom is to know both power over your circumstances and a reverence for all life as being equally sacred, and intrinsically valuable.
Outside of the cross, I’m not sure this balance of power and love is even possible. Jesus is both archetype and substitute for us. In some ways, the harbinger of the new man, and in others, the picture of the dead flesh of the old (which Paul encourages us to shed). But respective of his meekness (which is really strength subject to loving patience and restraint), he is archetype, capable of calling down all the angels of heaven to remove him from the cross and annihilate his opponents, yet restraining himself on their behalf.
I’m not sure I’ve ever really understood this quote as fully as I do now, because it is a call to strength and a call to love. I’ve heard the adage “Meekness, not weakness” but do most Christians think in these terms when they read Matthew 5:5? I don’t think they do. Western society is gradually becoming more openly hostile to the values of Christianity for a host of reasons, some of which are our fault. And our response to that is to strengthen ourselves by inhabiting and resting in Christ, and to see our opponents with the kind of love that will enable us to take this message as far as it will go. There is no eventuality that merits violence against those who oppose the Gospel. Jesus didn’t leave us that option.
