Matthew 5:5
“Some want to live within the sound of Church or chapel bells; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” - - C.T Studd
Matthew 5:5-
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
Often times this passage has been used to push a form of Christian pacifism and passiveness in an ever-growing culture of tolerance. When misunderstood, this passage can be taken out of context to brow beat those that fear the name of their God and strive to see it respected and loved. The word “meek” that is used in this text is a prime example of how our English understanding of a certain word or language can cause the true meaning of a text to be over looked.
The word in its original translation in its noun form, “praotes”, means one with temperate, displaying the right blend of force and reserve, “Strength in gentleness”, avoiding unnecessary harshness, yet without compromising or being too slow to use necessary force.
In the adjective form, “praos”, describes the necessary balance of exercising power and avoiding harshness.
For those of us that find ourselves called to these professions as first responders, this text should serve as a basis of understanding our biblically called positions and also encourage us in confrontations with evil. Often times first responders are referred to as Sheep Dogs and I believe this principle is reinforced by the words of our Savior. Sheep dogs carry the strength and lethality of the wolves, yet they are restrained. Sheep dogs could do just as much harm to the very sheep they protect, but the love and respect for their Shephard drives their nature to protect and lay down their lives for their master’s sheep if need be. Sheep dogs are equipped with the same teeth, the same speed, the same cunningness, but they are disciplined by the Shephard in a way that has reformed them from their enemies that seek to harm the herd. So is the calling of Christians who take the oath on this fallen side of eternity.
As Christians we are reborn as new creations in a constant state of sanctification and reforming from our sinful nature to that of Christ. To often are we told in this age of Christianity that we should not hate; but to be conformed to the image of Christ is to “Hate what is evil, cling to what is good,” – Romans 12:9/{The fear of the Lord is the hatred of evil} – Proverbs 8:13. In our jobs and profession WE Will face evil, and often times this leads to anger. I would make the case that for many of us this often leads to guilt and shame when instead we must understand that a hatred for what is wrong and anger when righteous is a natural response to what we have sworn to do. Ephesians 4:26-27 states:
“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” This is our warfare. Being in the world but not of the world will lead to anger. It is what we do with our anger that separates us. In the true Christian life and understanding, this will not lead to pride but to the meekness described above when we lean into Christ with these frustrations and understand that it is only by His grace that we have been called out of this world’s darkness.
Not only were we given this principle by our Savior in Matthew 5:5, but He also lived out the perfect example of this strength in His first coming. It is often said that “Son of Man” was Christ favorite title for Himself in the gospels due to the number of times He referred to Himself in this way. This is a quote from the prophecy in Daniel 7:13-14,
“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”
This same Son of Man of Daniel 7 subjected himself to a Roman flogging and cross by the very one’s He created and died to save from themselves. The unfathomable restraint our Savior showed on the cross for the sacrifice of those He was given from the Father from before time began (John 6:37-40/Romans 8:28-30) to die for to save is the strength we must pray for daily as we step out our front doors into service. This meekness of Matthew 5 is only possible by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We pray for the discernment displayed in the life of David, one that would spare the life of his enemy Saul when he was called by God’s Word to show restraint and mercy( 1 Samuel 24), and also the same zealousness for the name of our God and His righteousness that led that shepherd boy to stand his ground before a scared army and proclaim, “For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?,..You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” I am not calling for holy war, but I am calling for Christians in these positions of God granted authority to take hold of these eternal realities of the spiritual dark and light in these professions we find ourselves in. We must pray for the will to embrace a righteous hatred for what is wrong, in order to amplify the joys of what is right. Our country is lost, how will they find direction if we refuse to acknowledge the broad paths from the narrow (Matthew 7:13-14)? May we pray this day for the submission to God’s providence and the ability to love our neighbor, whether that is in mercy or lethality, to the glory of God alone and the furthering of His kingdom. For the meek SHALL inherit the earth.
“Let us not glide through this world and slip quietly into heaven, without having blown the trumpet loud and long for our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Let us see to it that the devil will hold a thanksgiving service in hell when he gets the news of our departure from the field of battle.” -CT Studd
James Doyle