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HAPPINESS IS ... MEEKNESS Matthew 5:5
"Must be a go-getter. Large profit opportunity. Male preferred" Doesn't that sound
American? Here's somebody who wants somebody who gets up early and works late. Somebody
who's been brought up with a puritan ethic. A go-getter. A driver. An achiever. Some-
one who wants to succeed in this world. Therefore, the advertisement. And this sounds
like the American Way to me as we have been brought up on the Horatio Alger concept -
rags to riches. The world is out there for you to get it - to claim it - to own it -
to achieve it - you just have to apply yourself. You have to get on with it. And some-
how when we read the verse of our scripture of this morning - to be congratulated or
happy or blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth? And we read this verse
and we think - it may be right - but only if you put a question mark at the end. Blessed
are the meek for they shall inherit the earth? Maybe heaven - you know, God can promise
a lot of things over yonder; out there; up there; eternity. Blessed are the meek for
they shall inherit heaven. Who can debate with that? But the earth? The here and now?
This stuff? You mean meek people qet this in this world? But that is what Jesus is
saying.
Now mark down the words of Jesus. It's not just Sunday morning talk or church or Sunday
School vocabulary and we say well it sounds good and we smile and go along our way and
say - well - you know, that's church stuff. That won't work in the market place!
There are drivers out there. There's intelligence, there's shrewdness, there's chicaneery.
To be congratulated are the meek - they are going to inherit this world? And some one
would stand up and say - not in a million years.
But let's look at this word 'meek' carefully. And first of all let's see what Jesus
did not mean by this word 'meek.' You turn to Webster ...
HAPPINESS IS ... MEEKNESS Matthew 5:5
"Must be a go-getter. Large profit opportunity. Male preferred" Doesn't that sound
American? Here's somebody who wants somebody who gets up early and works late. Somebody
who's been brought up with a puritan ethic. A go-getter. A driver. An achiever. Some-
one who wants to succeed in this world. Therefore, the advertisement. And this sounds
like the American Way to me as we have been brought up on the Horatio Alger concept -
rags to riches. The world is out there for you to get it - to claim it - to own it -
to achieve it - you just have to apply yourself. You have to get on with it. And some-
how when we read the verse of our scripture of this morning - to be congratulated or
happy or blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth? And we read this verse
and we think - it may be right - but only if you put a question mark at the end. Blessed
are the meek for they shall inherit the earth? Maybe heaven - you know, God can promise
a lot of things over yonder; out there; up there; eternity. Blessed are the meek for
they shall inherit heaven. Who can debate with that? But the earth? The here and now?
This stuff? You mean meek people qet this in this world? But that is what Jesus is
saying.
Now mark down the words of Jesus. It's not just Sunday morning talk or church or Sunday
School vocabulary and we say well it sounds good and we smile and go along our way and
say - well - you know, that's church stuff. That won't work in the market place!
There are drivers out there. There's intelligence, there's shrewdness, there's chicaneery.
To be congratulated are the meek - they are going to inherit this world? And some one
would stand up and say - not in a million years.
But let's look at this word 'meek' carefully. And first of all let's see what Jesus
did not mean by this word 'meek.' You turn to Webster ...
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