One of the best-known beatitudes is that of, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). We find the shortened version of “The meek shall inherit the earth” in many songs, books, and movies. In modern English, meek is not a word we use in a flattering manner. To call someone meek many times hints at our disgust or disappointment with them.
It makes this beatitude a bit more difficult for us to wrap our head around these days. As I was studying this verse, I heard a sermon where the pastor said, “meekness means I am done with me.” That changes everything. To concern ourselves only with the things of God and free ourselves of all the vices in this world is indeed a blessing, and one far greater than most will ever experience.
To be done with me means I’m going to let go of every ambition and desire I’ve ever held dear. That’s what Paul was saying when he wrote we are to take off the old man and put on the new (Ephesians 4:22-24). When we come to Jesus, His desires become our desires and our former desires become irrelevant to us (Psalm 37:4; Galatians 2:19-20). We won’t miss them because we have everything we will ever want or need in Christ (Philippians 4:19).
Notice the blessing for the meek is that they will inherit the earth. When we let go of it all, we will receive everything in return. Jesus would later reiterate the point by teaching that those who lose their life for Him would find eternity with Him (Matthew 10:39; Matthew 16:25). He then flipped it around by asking what good it was to gain everything in this world but lose your soul in Hell (Mark 8:36)? He taught the disciples the first will be last and the last will be first (Matthew 20:16). I think he repeated this principle so many times because He knew it would be difficult for us to grasp.
I want what I want, and I want it now. The human condition is to make everything about ourselves, but Scripture could not be more clear. Until I am done with me, I am not right with God. It doesn’t matter how many great things we do in the name of God if we never surrender our hearts and lives to Him (Matthew 7:22-23). There’s no such thing as a partial surrender in the spiritual realm. We cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). Until I am done with me, I am not ready to be His.
The perfect model of someone who was done with themselves was Jesus. He knew what was before Him as He allowed Himself to be arrested, cursed, abused, and tortured. He knew the agony yet to come when they placed the cross on His back and had Him carry it up the hill to the place of His execution (John 19:17). Jesus didn’t flinch. He didn’t waver. It was the perfect picture of surrender, and it was all for you and for me (Philippians 2:5-8). His death buried our sin and His resurrection promises eternal life to all who will believe, repent, and follow Him.
You can accept that gift or you can reject it and go your own way. That’s a wide road that most will choose to travel (Matthew 7:13). Or you can say, “I’m done with me.” Only Jesus has the words of eternal life (John 6:68), and I’m going to follow Him. That’s a narrow and difficult road, and few will find it (Matthew 7:14). Fewer will choose to walk it. But for those who do, our reward is not just everything we could ever imagine (1 Corinthians 2:9). Our reward is Jesus Himself. That’s the greatest blessing we could ever receive.