Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew. 5:5)
Rev. Canon Dr. Rebecca Margret Nyegenye
In lent we come before the Lord not as a routine but with a sense of developing a lifestyle that will glorify God forever. Lent is a season of transformation. I do hope that all of us are meditatively thinking about our individual return policies (Joel 2:12-13).
Today we reflect on Jesus’ sermon on the mountain specifically Matthew 5:5. Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount so that His Father would be glorified through the lifestyle of his disciples. This lifestyle would in turn make other people think about following Jesus. Meekness is one of those values Jesus mentioned that I want us to reflect on as we go through the lent period. It is my
prayer that our meekness will attract non believers to follow Jesus.
The word “meek” is from the Greek term praus. Unlike other people who attribute it to weakness in the Bible it denotes strength brought under control. The ancient Greeks employed the term to describe a wild horse tamed to the bridle. In the biblical sense; therefore, being meek describes one who has channeled his or her strengths into the service of God. Matthew 5:5, is quoted from Psalm 37:11, where the “meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.” The Psalmist contrasts the meek and the wicked. The meek person trusts in the Lord, delights in the Lord, commits their ways to the Lord, waits on the Lord and he or she will never be forsaken.
Meekness is wisdom as stated in James 3:13 and the wisdom from above is “pure then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17).
Wisdom in the Bible is never a merely intellectual affair but a disposition of the heart as well as ideas in the head. And therefore, in a sense, meekness and wisdom are one thing. They are both peaceable, gentle, and open to reason.
As we go through lent season, let us bring our lifestyles under God’s control. Today we talk about media and how it has affected our lives; we need to understand that media can have very positive impact in our society today if it is controlled by the beneficiaries. It is one’s choice to read a particular news paper, watch a specific channel on your TV, listen to radio and also use your phone meaningfully to the glory of God. We buy these items and so we must control them and not to allow them spoil us or waste our children. Time must be allocated for their use and not us becoming addicted to them. Media can be a source of wickedness; it imports and exports all sorts of behavior. Most of the dressing, hair, walking and probably eating styles that have ruined our lives and character has been copied from televisions, internet, and other social media platforms. Our African culture with all its decency and beauty is slowly being replaced by imported culture in the context of modernity. A meek character will help us to sieve and adopt only that which is pleasing to God.
Rev. Canon Dr. Rebecca Nyegenye
Ag. Provost