This post is a collaboration with Brennan Brown and his teaching!
The concept of being "poor in spirit," as outlined in the Sermon on the Mount, is foundational to the value system of God's Kingdom. It is a counterintuitive idea—one that challenges us to rethink our understanding of strength, happiness, and spiritual life. In this teaching, we explore the idea of meekness, which flows directly from recognizing our poverty of spirit in relation to God.
Comparison: Shifting Our Perspective
We are all prone to compare ourselves to others. Whether it’s our achievements, possessions, or perceived success, we often measure ourselves against our peers. However, the Bible calls us to shift this comparison. Instead of comparing ourselves to others, we should compare ourselves to God.
This shift changes everything. When we look to God as the standard, we realize that no matter how high we may climb in life, we will always fall short when measured against Him. There’s a “gap” between us and God, not a physical gap, but one that speaks to His infinite holiness, wisdom, and power.
(Ecclesiastes 5:2 NASB) "Do not be quick with your mouth or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few."
(Isaiah 55:9 NASB) "“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts."
(John 15:5 NASB) "I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing."
The more we become aware of this gap, the more we begin to understand our true position—humble, dependent, and in need of grace.
Meekness: The Fruit of Recognizing the Gap
Once we begin to see the gap between us and God, we are called to respond in meekness. But what is meekness? It is not weakness, as the world might define it. Meekness is a strength rooted in humility, born from recognizing our smallness in comparison to God’s greatness.
This means that meekness involves both our relationship with God and how we relate to others.
“A true view of oneself, expressing itself in attitude and conduct with respect to others.” -Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Meekness Toward God: Submission
Meekness starts with submission to God. To be meek before God is to acknowledge His lordship over our lives. It’s to say, “You are God, and I am not.”
(James 4:6-7 NASB) "But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Jesus Himself demonstrated the ultimate example of meekness in His submission to the Father’s will. In humility, he became obedient to the will of the Father. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “Father, if You are willing, take this cup away from Me—nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). This is the heart of meekness: total submission to God’s will, even when it is difficult or painful.
(Philippians 2:8 NASB) "And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross."
Meekness Toward Others: Gentleness and Lowliness
Meekness also involves how we treat others. It is expressed in gentleness and lowliness, much like the parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18. The servant, having been forgiven a great debt by his master, fails to extend the same mercy to his fellow servant. Meekness would have dictated that he recognize the vast gap between him and his master and extend that same grace to others.
When we see the gap between us and God, we also become more understanding of the gap between others and God. We don’t become offended or upset when others fall short. Instead, we respond with humility and gentleness, knowing that we too are in need of grace.
Meekness and Strength: An Unlikely Pair
Meekness is often misunderstood as a sign of weakness. Yet, in the Kingdom of God, meekness is compatible with great strength and authority. Jesus, the very Son of God, was meek. Despite His divine power, Jesus demonstrated meekness in His life and ministry. He exercised great authority and strength, but He did so with humility and gentleness.
(Matthew 11:29 NASB) " Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
True meekness allows us to lead with strength while maintaining a humble heart. Whether we are leading or following, meekness enables us to serve others and submit to God’s will, recognizing the immense gap between us and our Creator.
Blessed: The Joy of Meekness
Jesus promises that the meek are blessed. This blessing is not contingent on life’s circumstances—it is a deep, enduring joy that comes from a heart of humility. When we embrace meekness, we are freed from the need to protect our reputation or prove our worth. We see the gap between us and God, and we no longer need to assert ourselves in order to feel valuable. We are already blessed, simply by being in relationship with Him.
“He that is down need fear no fall.” -John Bunyan
Inherit the Earth: The Reward for Meekness
Finally, Jesus tells us that the meek will inherit the earth. This promise echoes God’s original design for humanity in Genesis 1, where we were created to have dominion over the earth. The meek will experience the fullness of God’s intended joy for life on earth. They will enjoy the world as God designed it, experiencing His blessing in a way that the proud and self-sufficient never will.
(Genesis 1:26-28 NASB) Then God said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
If you want to be a leader in God’s Kingdom, meekness is the path. It’s not about assertiveness or self-promotion; it’s about submitting to God, gently serving others, and recognizing the gap between us and our Creator. Jesus delights in meekness, and He rewards it with the inheritance of the earth.
Final Thoughts
Being poor in spirit is the first step toward recognizing the gap between us and God. From that recognition comes meekness—a posture of humility before God and gentleness toward others. Meekness, far from being a sign of weakness, is a source of great strength and authority. It is the pathway to true blessing and the inheritance of the earth. Let us choose meekness, for it is the way of the Kingdom of God.
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