The Meek Shall Inherit ... a Massage?

Last evening my wife and I grabbed a bite to eat then went to the mall to hang out for awhile.  We had no intention of buying anything; we pretty much went just to stretch our legs and get a change of scenery.

As we made our way through the mall, we came to one store that is well-known for its creative gadgets.  While browsing through the store, we got separated, and I looked around to see where Ruthie was.  I couldn't see her at first, but then I saw her waving to me from the back of the store.  She was sitting down in what looked like a recliner with her back to me.  When I got to her, she said, "Oh, honey, you've got to try this."  It was a chair with an electronic foot & calf massager.  So I took off my shoes, slipped my feet into place, and started her up.  Man, oh, man, did it ever feel good!  In the meantime Ruthie was in another chair with a different type of foot massager.  So after a few minutes I slipped into that chair, while Ruthie went to the next one.  (There were four of them.)  Finally, after all that, we found off to the side full body massage chairs.  These gave deep rubs all the way from your neck to your feet.  Wow, what a feeling!  We could have stayed all night but were only there about twenty minutes or so.

When we left the mall, one of us remarked, "That wasn't a bad way to spend a date - getting a free massage at the mall!"  We hadn't spent a penny!  Those massage chairs were hundreds of dollars, yet we were able to enjoy them for free!

This reminded me of a study on the Beatitudes that I did years ago, specifically when Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matt. 5:5).  Before focusing on the second half of the verse, I think it's important to understand what is meant by "meek."  It has often been rightly said that meekness is not weakness. This is made clear in the New Testament Greek word translated "meek."  The Greek word is praus, a term that was used of animals to designate those that had been domesticated.  These animals were high-spirited, yet they were "broken in," having learned to accept control by their masters and to behave accordingly.  By extension, the word came to refer to people who behaved properly.  The closest equivalent in English is the word "gentle," or the compound word "gentleman."  ("Gentle" is the word that appears in the New American Standard translation of Matthew 5:5.)

Jesus said that the meek are the ones who are blessed, "for they shall inherit the earth."  What did Jesus mean by this?  Well, if you read your Bible, you'll see that there is definitely a future fulfillment of this promise.  The meek will inherit the earth quite literally, when the Messiah, Jesus Christ, sets up His earthly kingdom.  This is clearly indicated in the Old Testament text from which Jesus was quoting: Psalm 37 (look especially at verses 1-7, 10-11 and compare to Revelation 5:10).

But there is also a present fulfillment of this promise.  There is a sense in which the meek shall inherit the earth now.  Since the meek person looks to God for his sustenance, he is content, for he knows that God has given him "richly all things to enjoy" (1 Tim. 6:17).  After all, there are two ways to be rich in life: to have everything you want, or to be content with what you have.  The latter is the only true wealth there is, when such contentment is rooted in Christ.  Paul told Timothy, "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Tim. 6:6).  Paul really believed this himself and lived accordingly.  Though he owned very little, he spoke of himself - and every believer - as "possessing all things" (2 Cor. 6:10).  To the contentious Corinthians he wrote,

So then let no one boast in men.  For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.

- 1 Cor. 3:21-23, emphasis mine

With such a perspective, I can go into the mall and enjoy a nice massage!  I can go to the park, visit a museum, lie down under a big old oak tree and gaze up at the sky - and I can know that these things are mine as much as anyone else's.  And I can thank God for all the people who maintain these things for me!  :)

Admittedly, to a certain extent these last few remarks were made a bit tongue-in-cheek.  But it is true that today we get a taste of what one day will be true in its entirety:  "The saints shall judge the world" (1 Cor. 6:2).  We who have believed on the Messiah as our Deliverer will one day reign with him (2 Tim. 2:12a).  As Christians, we are God's heirs and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.  Though we experience a measure of sorrow and suffering now, we get a glimpse in the everyday pleasures of life of the future glory that is ours.

He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly."  Amen.  Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

- Rev. 22:20