“Blessed are the meek…”
Rafael L. Oriel, Jr.
15 Mar 2008
Mr. Pontaoe, that’s your opinion. Different people discern the truth differently. I am sorry to disappoint you but you are wrong to pretend that you know where I took the anecdote and to say that the title is not meekness.
Actually, I learned the anecdote from a Sermon on Matthew 5:5 preached by Rev. Adrian Dieleman on July 11, 1999. For your info, in Matthew 5.5, it is written “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” In his sermon there is no mention whatsoever about your claims of command and control or corporal punishment. What you said in your post confirm the fact that the word ”meek” is misunderstood by many, unfortunately, including those who claims to be Christians. The following is an excerpt from his sermon:
“”Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” This is so contrary to the ways of the world. The world thinks in terms of strength and power, of ability, of self-assurance, of aggressiveness.
According to the world, riches and glory, conquest and possession, become yours when you assert yourself, express yourself, organize your powers and abilities. Success is yours when you grab it, fight for it, and go for the gold. There is a Dutch saying, “Bold people possess half the world.” The English equivalent is, “Fortune favors the bold.” That’s the attitude of the world.
However, Jesus says, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Once more, then, we are reminded that the child of God is completely different from the world. He or she is a new person, a new creation. The child of God belongs to an entirely different Kingdom. The child of God has an entirely different set of values and priorities.
Not only is the child of God so completely different from the world. We can also say that the world cannot possibly understand him or her. He or she is a riddle to the world.”
I like what Rev. Adrian Dieleman had said in his topic Paradoxes and titled “The Mystery of the Christian Life”
He said, “A real Christian is an odd number. He feels love for One whom he has never seen; talks with familiarity to Someone he cannot see; expects to go to heaven on the virtue of Another; empties himself in order to be full; admits he is wrong so he can be declared right; goes down in order to get up; is strongest when he is weakest; richest when he is poorest; and happiest when he feels the worst. He dies so he can live, forsakes in order to have; gives away so he can keep; sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, and knows that which passes knowledge.”
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