261 - Blessed are the Gentle#
261 - Blessed are the Gentle
(JP Text Group - Organized by the Little Prince of Heaven)
Continuing the Beatitudes series: Blessed are the Gentle.
The scripture is Matthew 5:5, "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth."
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father! Thank You and praise You! We are blessed people because You have given us Your blessings, allowing us to inherit Your blessings. In this world, today we receive Your words, which are also a blessing. Through Your words, we will be renewed in strength. You will help us to live out such blessings in Your promises, inheriting the land You want to give us. We completely entrust this time to the Holy Spirit, helping each of us understand our blessings and live out the gentleness of Jesus Christ. In the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen!
Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. What kind of person is gentle? A person who does not get angry, who does not argue back no matter what you say. Do we appear to be gentle? This is not necessarily the case; many people have a distorted definition of gentleness, thinking that gentle people are usually pushovers, without temper, without backbone, not striving for progress, and are negative failures.
Many people are unwilling to become gentle. When gentle people are mentioned, they might think of someone like Lin Daiyu, who is petty, angry, and sickly. The Bible does not define gentleness this way. The world thinks of gentleness as timidity, incompetence, and indecisiveness, labeling it with many negative tags. But this is not the gentleness that Jesus speaks of in the Bible. What is the original meaning of gentleness in the Bible? I have shared before that Greek words often describe their meanings through a background or a scene. Gentleness in the original text refers to a wild and fierce beast that, once tamed, can obey commands and accept guidance.
Can you imagine this scene? Originally a very fierce beast, once tamed, it appears gentle, but its strength has not diminished. This is the gentleness spoken of in the Bible. If it only appears gentle on the outside but is timid on the inside, that is not gentleness.
Gentleness appears to lack strength on the outside, yet is filled with strength on the inside. Jesus is like this. In the Bible, gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit. The first three blessings we share do not refer to a person's appearance. The first is the poor in spirit, the second is those who mourn, and the third is the gentle. These all reflect the inner state of a person. Therefore, do not judge whether a person is gentle based on their outward personality or behavior. Gentleness does not refer to a person's appearance, attitude, or personality, but rather a noble spiritual character.
Gentleness contains self-control, self-denial, and the ability to humbly exhibit spiritual virtues, but these cannot be cultivated by the flesh. Gentleness is not something cultivated; it is an inner strength that, once understood, leads a person to willingly obey, which manifests as gentleness.
A truly gentle person is someone who is managed by the Holy Spirit. The character of gentleness is not innate; it needs to be forged through trials and experiences. As we mentioned earlier, it starts as a fierce beast that is unmanageable, but later it is trained to become a gentle, manageable animal. Is this process painful? Yes, it is not as simple as saying, "Be good, I will ride you now," and it immediately allows you to ride.
It involves repeated external discipline and various environments until it finally becomes obedient and exhibits gentleness.
A person with a gentle character is definitely not a timid and weak useless person but one who possesses great ability and authority yet willingly denies themselves, humbly submitting to God's authority and accepting the management of the Holy Spirit. Such a person will inherit the land that comes from God, which we call the world. Why does God allow us to undergo training before granting us this?
The reason is simple: if you do not possess such ability now, receiving it may harm you. Unless we already have the ability to handle all matters and issues, for example, many people say, "I just want to be rich, Lord! Give me a billion, and I will listen to You." The intention is good.
However, if you lack the ability to manage wealth, after receiving a billion, you might not even recognize yourself in a few years, ultimately harming yourself. Aren't there many such examples? The reason is the lack of ability. Therefore, before God grants you the blessing of inheriting the land, He must first give you the ability to manage it. Such a person can inherit the blessings from God and will gain respect and affection from others.
In other words, a person who truly knows they are blessed, after receiving God's discipline and training, will exhibit gentleness. Such a person must be spiritually mature and have a rich life.
Sharing Point One: Understand that you are a blessed person, and the fruit you bear is gentleness.
Proverbs 15:1 states, "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."
When is a gentle answer given? When others are angry, your response is gentle. So why do many people fail to do this? When others get angry, we also get angry; if their voice is loud, ours is louder. In reality, this is like two sharp stones grinding against each other, resulting in mutual destruction.
A truly gentle answer comes from a gentle person who is not hurt in the face of anger. Do not be the hard stone with sharp edges everywhere; be like a ball of cotton. Even if someone punches you, it feels like hitting cotton and does not hurt. This is what it means to be a gentle person. They are not without ability but can contain all anger. The life of Jesus is like this. What I am sharing now should be applied to Jesus. No matter how others spoke of Him or insulted Him, He had the authority and power to destroy them but chose not to.
Remember in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus asked the crowd, "Whom do you seek?" They replied, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said, "I am He." After He said this, those who were arresting Him fell backward to the ground, proving that Jesus had the power to kill them with just a word. Yet Jesus still displayed gentleness, saying, "I am He," meaning "Come and arrest me." Jesus willingly died for us in this manner to save us, which also reflects His gentleness.
Anger never solves problems; anger does not accomplish God's righteousness. Do not use anger to resolve issues. Many times we scold loudly, trying to intimidate others with anger, which is only temporary and does not solve the problem, leading to more hardened hearts. But gentle people are different; they can make fair choices in a humble atmosphere, helping us build good relationships with others.
When others are angry, if we respond with gentle words, that person's anger will dissipate instantly. Isn't that a good thing? Why must we show off and prove ourselves to be better than others, leading to mutual destruction, which benefits neither party? Therefore, possessing a gentle character today is a good thing for us, allowing better communication of thoughts between both parties. When facing different people, we do not need to fully accept them, but we should learn to respond gently.
This involves issues in life. We have been discussing the Beatitudes, many of which relate to how we interact with others. God wants us to learn to treat others with gentleness. Be a gentle giant, not a hot-tempered dwarf. That will not solve problems. God created each person differently; thus, everyone has different living environments, personalities, gifts, and thoughts. Therefore, we cannot demand that others must agree with our viewpoints.
If we use power to restrict others, we will never know what they truly think inside. When Jesus interacted with others, He had a gentle attitude towards them, and people were willing to associate with such a person. We also wish to associate with such people. Because someone who will hit you with a stick for saying the wrong thing makes you very afraid, right? Some people, no matter what you say to them, always smile. Jesus is such a person; He is gentle and humble in heart.
Matthew 11:29-30 states,
29 "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. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
The humility and gentleness mentioned here refer to gentleness. The gentleness here is another image of the word "gentle," referring to the yoke on the necks of oxen or horses. When the master places this yoke on its neck, it can obey the master's commands. Before being tamed, a horse is wild, unmanageable, and cannot be used by humans, and it can even harm people.
However, once it is tamed, it becomes a tool for human service. Therefore, Jesus describes this as gentle and humble, which is gentleness. Is He describing Himself? If a person has not been tamed and receives God's authority, what would be the consequence? Many people say, "Why doesn't Jesus give me His authority so that whatever I say will come to pass?"
Fortunately, He did not give it. If He had, there would be no one left in the world. Without gentleness, we have received these things, which not only harm others but also harm ourselves. If we are not careful, we could curse everyone in the world to death, ultimately cursing ourselves.
We must first be tamed by God, understanding that we are blessed people, and then willingly be used by God. Just like oxen and horses, they may wander around the mountains and face many dangers, but once tamed by their master, their lives improve, and the master will take care of them regularly.
If it is a warhorse, it is just right for its life’s purpose. If it is not discovered by the master, it will remain that way for life. The thousand-mile horse longs to meet a good trainer, and we are the same, especially hoping to be valued by the Lord and then used by Him. But the key is to know that if we are used by the Lord in our original state, we have no value.
Who would dare ride a horse that has not been tamed? But once tamed, it becomes very obedient, and what is displayed is gentleness. This gentleness, in the life of a Christian, manifests as humility and obedience.
Is Jesus like this? He lived completely according to the Father's will, yet the life He lived was filled with great power. Today, you are the same. If you willingly lay down your past life and no longer live by your old ways but by God's ways, living as God says, what is manifested is gentleness, humility, and obedience, and your inner life is powerful.
Imagine if an ox refuses to accept the yoke given by its master, its value cannot be realized. Only when it submits to the master's will and has the yoke placed on its neck does its life become more meaningful. Therefore, the Lord Jesus says, "Take My yoke upon you." When we mention the yoke, we think of work.
What is Jesus' yoke like? "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, and you will find rest for your souls." Jesus asks you to take His yoke not to make you work like a donkey but to let you enjoy His rest. Hallelujah! Because My yoke is easy, it proves that in the past we seemed to have no yoke, but in reality, there was an invisible yoke placed on our necks. Do unbelievers have this today? Many pressures, hardships, and inner turmoil are all yokes. But now, coming before Jesus, He says, "Take My yoke." He removes your original yoke.
Now, when you take His yoke, you enjoy rest, and this yoke is easy because He walks forward with you. My burden is light, so we should willingly obey. The yoke given to us by Jesus Christ means you are a blessed person. Not only are you blessed, but you can also inherit the earth, and everything you do will be very fruitful. Therefore, we should be like the Lord Jesus, taking His yoke, just as the Lord Jesus obeyed the Father's will.
Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? It is the little children. If you become like little children, you will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. What characteristics do children have? Whatever their parents give them, they believe it. Whatever they are asked to do, they listen. After the age of two, they start to have their own ideas, and as they grow older, their ideas increase, even thinking their parents' ideas are wrong and theirs are right. However, when they are very young, they have a strong desire to learn. When they ask you why there are so many stars in the sky, they will stare into your eyes without moving, proving they are listening to you and believing you.
As they grow older, their eyes start to wander, which means they are no longer obedient. You see those who are new believers; at first, when they are before Jesus, whatever you say, they say, "Yes, I understand, I believe this." As they gradually learn more, they start to judge: "This is not right; what you said is wrong; I have heard this before." Their knowledge increases, but their ability decreases. The problem lies here. We should always remain like little children before God, believing as the Lord says, and it becomes simple. Therefore, little children are the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Let’s look at a passage of scripture, which serves as a negative example: Genesis 16:11-12,
11 And the angel of the Lord said to her, "Behold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son, and you shall call his name Ishmael (because the Lord has heard your affliction). 12 He shall be a wild man; his hand shall be against every man, and every man's hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren."
This refers to Hagar's son Ishmael. God gave Hagar a promise: "You are now with child and shall bear a son, and you shall call his name Ishmael." Although he is not the promised offspring, he is still a child born of Abraham, living under the law. Abraham had two sons, one was Ishmael and the other was Isaac.
Isaac represents the promised son who will inherit all of Abraham's blessings. You are also a child of promise, destined to inherit all the blessings of our Lord. Although Ishmael is nominally a child of Abraham, he was born of a servant and, under the past slave system, a child born of a servant has no right to inherit his father's estate, so he was cast out. But God had mercy on this child.
People have no mercy; they just cast him out. In the past, how many fought over inheritance? Once cast out, they have nothing. Many people died outside. But our God is not a cruel God; He is a God of mercy. He gave Ishmael a promise, "I have heard your affliction." So He also granted him some extra blessings, but they are not the same as Isaac's blessings. Isaac's blessings are not earned through effort; he inherits them.
There is a very central word: inherit. To inherit means: this blessing you see, now belongs to you, it has come upon you. Did Ishmael see Abraham's blessings? Yes, but he did not receive them. What should he do to obtain the inheritance? He had to rely on his own efforts. These are two types of people: Isaac represents those under grace who inherit the promises, while Ishmael represents those under the law who must fight to obtain.
Look at this: "He shall be a wild man." The characteristic of a wild man is disobedience, unwilling to be disciplined, and not willing to listen. Another characteristic is that although he is a donkey, he looks down on lions and tigers. This means this person is very arrogant. You will find that his hand will strike others, not because others strike him first, but he strikes others.
Now look at Isaac's life; the Bible does not record him actively attacking others, but Ishmael does. Isaac is bullied by others, yet he repeatedly retreats, which is a gentle character. Why does he not get angry? Because he knows: my Lord will avenge me; He will give me better. This is what arises from a gentle character, but Ishmael is different; he strikes others first because he always feels inadequate.
Isaac never does this. His hand strikes others, relying on his own power to make others listen to him. This is not true obedience. One day, when others are stronger than him, it will turn around, and man's hand will strike him. Living in constant conflict is exhausting; we should not choose this kind of life. The Bible tells us that the gentle shall inherit the earth; this is a gift from God.
He shall dwell in the east of all his brethren. Horses and donkeys are strong, but once tamed, they can do many things for their masters. The Israelites often behaved like wild donkeys. The prophetic books record that throughout Israel's history, they often did not listen to God's teachings, living according to their own will.
In Jeremiah 2, God describes the Israelites' disobedience, using the term wild donkey, saying His people are like wild donkeys. The result is shame upon themselves. Think about it; being a wild donkey, they still stomp their feet in front of lions and tigers, saying, "Come! I will kick you to death." In the end, it is the wild donkey that gets eliminated, which shows a lack of self-awareness.
Once they are tamed, they can be used by the Lord. Why did Jesus ride on a donkey? This is meaningful. If the donkey is not tamed, it is a wild donkey. But one day, when the wild donkey is tamed, it becomes the mount of Jesus Christ. This has a spiritual significance. Think about it: this donkey has never been ridden before, yet now it can listen to Jesus. How come you people do not know to turn back? Isaiah 1 says, "The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib; but Israel does not know, My people do not consider." This describes the degree of rebellion of these people; they are actually bringing shame upon themselves, so their end is tragic.
We should not be that wild donkey; we should be a little donkey willing to listen before the Lord. This is glorious. Consider this: Jesus riding on that little donkey. If it were not used by anyone, it would be a useless little donkey. Now that it is ridden by Jesus, its life is different; it becomes a very glorious little donkey. Whatever glory Jesus receives, it also receives.
People joyfully spread palm branches and lay their clothes on the ground, and it walks over them. Similarly, if we are willing to submit before the Lord, we will share in the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Once tamed, our abilities are maximized. Hallelujah! We were once unrestrained, wild within us, but now, after being conquered by Jesus Christ and His love, our lives willingly submit to God's management. Such a life can be used by the Lord and will improve more and more. Let us see what the gentleness of the Lord Jesus is like.
Matthew 12:18-20 states,
18 "Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will declare justice to the Gentiles. 19 He will not quarrel nor cry out, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench, till He sends forth justice to victory."
This describes the appearance of the Lord Jesus when He came. He came to proclaim the truth as a servant of God, chosen, beloved, and pleasing to God, filled with the Holy Spirit. The purpose of possessing all this is to declare the truth to the Gentiles. His characteristics are the behavioral traits exhibited by gentle people.
Why do people in the world have to compete for superiority? They do not know they are blessed people, so they must compete to be the highest and best in front of others, seeking praise. Why does Jesus not need others to praise Him? He knows the Father has already approved Him. If you know that the Lord Jesus has approved you, and the Father has placed you in the highest position, in His most beloved place, you will not care how others evaluate you.
People, because they do not know Jesus, will care about how others see them, "What did someone say about me today?" My family member used to say, "That elder glared at me today." I said, "So what if he glared at you?" She replied, "You have a thick skin." Does this have anything to do with having a thick skin? No, I said, "Look at so many people; if someone glances at you, so what?"
We cannot say that if someone glances at us, we cannot live. The key is whether you are too concerned about others' opinions of you. How does God see you? People's opinions of you are not very important. Of course, we should live before God; more importantly, how does God see us? How does God hope we will live? We should live in a way that pleases Him. Jesus knows what He is doing is right, so He does not care how others evaluate Him.
The second characteristic is that He does not quarrel. When He does something, He never boasts about it. What are the Pharisees like in the Bible? "Today, I just gave a tenth of my celery to God," fearing that others do not know what he has done. But what does Jesus do?
Every time He heals someone, He tells them, "Do not tell anyone; just go back and show yourself to the priest." The more He says this, the more they cannot help but proclaim it. On the contrary, those who do a little something are afraid the whole world does not know and go around proclaiming it, wishing they could shout it from the rooftops. We feel that such people are rather uninteresting.
Jesus possesses gentleness, so He does not quarrel or cry out, and no one hears His voice in the streets. He does not shout with a trumpet, hoping the whole world knows Him. He simply does things before the Lord, giving truth to others, allowing them to see healing, power, and authority. He reflects not Himself but our Heavenly Father. Amen!
The following is a passage that truly describes His gentleness: "A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench." Do you know the value of a bruised reed? Have you seen reeds by the river? Many are broken by the wind. Reeds can be woven into hats, made into flutes, and can produce sound when blown.
If you were to choose reeds for making flutes, would you use a broken reed? No, you would throw it aside and pick a good one because there are many and they are cheap and can be found everywhere. Why would you care about that one broken one?
But Jesus is not like that. If Jesus shared our viewpoint, He would not use us. Jesus cares for each person. Even if you say, "I have nothing, cannot do anything, I am like that broken reed." The bruised reed is about to break, right? Did He say, "Look at you, about to break; I might as well break you"?
Even though you are like this, He will lift you up and use you again. Hallelujah! This is our Lord; He has a gentle heart. Amen! "A smoking flax He will not quench." What is a smoking flax like? If a lamp is about to go out, the best way to handle it is to replace it with a new wick, which costs little and proves that these are insignificant and of no value. But Jesus does not do that; He will carefully pull you out a little, allowing you to shine again.
Every time you encounter Jesus, His gentleness upon you renews you. Gentleness is the character of Jesus; His heart is at peace and can care for the feelings of each of us. Even I cannot care for your hearts or feelings, but the Holy Spirit can; Jesus can.
He can make everyone who comes to Him enjoy His rest, especially those whose hearts are wounded or weak, referred to as bruised reeds and smoking flax. Jesus treats them with gentleness because "A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench." When those disciples who had followed Him for many years betrayed Him, He did not rebuke them. At that moment, were they not weak? What would we think? "For more than three years, I provided for them in every way, and in the end, they betrayed me! They even said they did not know me." If it were us, would we not find it unacceptable? We have given so much, and in the end, they treat us this way; would we not feel hurt?
But Jesus did not rebuke or blame these disciples. When He fell into the hands of the enemy and faced a crisis, His beloved disciples denied Him three times, yet Jesus did not despise Peter for his weakness. Brothers and sisters, think about it. If Peter denied Jesus three times and Jesus shouted, "Peter! You heartless one! How could you do this to me?" At that moment, Peter's restless heart would have found peace.
Do you know why? Because that is what he deserved; he deserved to be scolded by Jesus. He always felt guilty towards the Lord. But Jesus did not despise Peter for what he did, nor did He abandon him. After Peter's weakness, Jesus personally sought him out, prepared breakfast for him, and entrusted His sheep to Peter. It was this love that completely changed Peter. Hallelujah!
Was Peter a smoking flax at that time? In our view, "You could betray me in the past; you might betray me again in the future." This is how people think. But Jesus knew in His heart that after giving him love, giving him more love, this person would turn back. Thank the Lord! When the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery before Jesus, He did not use stones to kill her like those scribes and Pharisees nor publicly rebuke and humiliate her.
When only Jesus and this woman were left, what did Jesus say? "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" The woman said, "No one, Lord." Now that no one is left, if Jesus scolded this woman at that moment, she would have nothing to say. "At least I saved your life; if I had not saved you, those people would have stoned you to death."
Jesus could have set conditions, saying, "Follow me from now on, and carry my shoes..." Would this woman not be grateful? But Jesus' gentleness is reflected at this moment. Although this woman was like a nearly dead reed, Jesus did not break her, nor did He take away her courage to face others. Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." Did He not lift her up? Although she was a nearly extinguished lamp, Jesus reignited her faith, giving her hope for life again.
How many people have reached a point of no return, even feeling hopeless, with their lamps about to go out? After encountering Jesus, they regain hope for life. This is the gentleness of Jesus that they meet. Hallelujah! The gentleness of Jesus contains a rich love. He uses His gentleness and love to save a lost soul and comfort a wounded heart.
The entire behavior of the Lord Jesus makes people especially willing to come before Him. This is why every time Jesus goes out, countless people follow Him; it is because He has a gentle heart. Amen! This is the effect produced by a gentle heart. A truly gentle Christian should also make those around them feel at peace and comfortable. Thank the Lord!
A gentle heart is one that is at peace within. This peace will not change due to circumstances or other changes. In facing any situation, they have God's gentleness within.
When a person recognizes their own weakness and ignorance and relies on Jesus, when Jesus grants them this rest and power, they can also look at everyone around them with this gentleness. If you understand that you are a blessed person and are willing to inherit the gentleness given to you by Jesus Christ, your relationships with others will greatly improve.
We are now talking about your relationships with others. When you treat others with a gentle heart, what they give you will not be harm. When we have a gentle heart within us, we will not gossip about others behind their backs. On the contrary, we will pray for our brothers and sisters, hoping they can repent and stand up again, especially when we encounter some who are weak and have fallen.
Let’s look at a passage from Galatians 6:1: "Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness, watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted."
This point is something we must pay close attention to; it is an application in life. Under the law, when someone falls, becomes weak, or sins, what do we expect? If I, as a pastor, come to you and say, "Don’t think I don’t know what you did a few days ago..."
Listing all your sins, "Hurry and repent to God; otherwise, this is just the beginning; worse things are waiting for you." How would you feel about this pastor? "What do you know? I already know; come on! I can’t win against you; just use something harsher; I won’t struggle anymore." That person will give up completely.
I once shared a testimony about a brother who often traveled for work and encountered various services in many hotels. One time, he became weak and accepted such a service. After returning home, he felt that what he did was wrong and sought out his pastor to confess. The pastor said, "I tell you, other sins can be forgiven by God, but this sin will never be forgiven in this life or the next." After hearing this, the brother went home and thought, "I have been a Christian for so many years, and I did this; God does not want me anymore. What should I do?" He then hanged himself.
Brothers and sisters, do you understand the consequences of words? A heart without gentleness cannot save people. He indeed was caught in wrongdoing and understood how serious his errors and problems were. A spiritual person—was that pastor's approach spiritual? A spiritual person knows you are of the Holy Spirit. Peter denied Jesus; was that sin small? Not at all; it is not much different from the sin of Judas Iscariot! Both denied Jesus and betrayed Him, yet Jesus used a gentle heart to restore him.
It is like this: when brothers and sisters see others weak, sinning, or falling, we should also use a gentle heart to restore them. Otherwise, that soul may die completely because of your words, feeling they have no face to live in this world. This is the encouragement given to us in the Bible: you who are spiritual should restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness.
How to restore? Do not mention their past issues, nor go around proclaiming their past failures. Brothers and sisters, think about it. If someone in our church has made some mistakes, and before they arrive, I tell you all their past sins, do you think they would still have the face to come to this church? They might not want to come back.
But if we know about this matter and do not mention it, praying for them and comforting them, they will know there is a kind of love upon them, accepting them. When we are weak and fall, we all hope others will comfort us. Therefore, when others are weak and fall, we should also use a gentle heart to restore them. Amen!
Just like we mentioned at the beginning, a gentle heart is like a ball of cotton; it gives a comfortable feeling. Their words are gentle. Similarly, for those matters that others do not wish to mention, we should refrain from mentioning them first to avoid making others overly sensitive. This is considering the consequences for others. The Lord Jesus said, "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth."
Sharing Point Two: The gentle shall inherit the earth.
To inherit the earth, in the original text, refers to inheriting the world. Inheriting means something comes upon you. The Bible has many blessings; do you also hope that they come upon you? When is it considered inheriting? When you receive this blessing, I am not talking about spiritually receiving it; we already know this blessing spiritually, but it is something you can truly feel and enjoy. This is the meaning of inheriting. Knowing you are blessed is one thing; receiving that blessing is another. Let’s look at the fact that spiritually, we are all inheritors of blessings.
Romans 4:13 states, "For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would inherit the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith."
After we believe in Jesus, are we not descendants of Abraham? Therefore, each of us spiritually can inherit the world. In other words, the abilities, authority, glory of Jesus, and all good things in this world can happen to you. This is the blessing that should come upon you spiritually. But why do many Christians not experience it?
Today we talked about this; first, you must know that these blessings belong to you. Then you say, "Lord! Give me a gentle heart." This blessing can come upon you. The gentle shall inherit the earth. A person who knows they are blessed will willingly live gently. Remember what gentleness is? It was once a fierce beast, but now it knows how blessed it is to follow the Lord and the many benefits it has, willingly humbling itself before the Lord, listening to His commands, thus inheriting blessings.
Let me give you a simple example. For instance, when the weather is too hot, we say, "I am dying of heat." When we encounter even a little harm from others, we become furious, saying, "I am so angry..."
Constantly repeating the harm others bring us. Jesus tells us to pray for our enemies and bless those who persecute us, not to curse them. We say, "I cannot do this." But the Lord means for you to try doing it. When you try to do it, you reconcile with your enemies and gain a friend instead of another enemy. Have you not inherited this blessing? You bless them every day...
One day, this person realizes and begins to bless you, and you receive this blessing. It is a real change in interpersonal relationships, not just shouting, "I know God loves me the most; I do not care how the world sees me; they can treat me however they want."
If you see those people every day and feel sad and upset, wondering why the world treats you this way, you will feel very hurt. Change your relationships; let God's gentleness be within you, humbly submitting to God's words. Was Abraham a blessed person? He was someone who understood God's blessings and inherited them.
Abraham has several examples in life that we need to learn from. Abraham looked to God for peace with others; he learned to let go. At first, God told Abraham what spiritual blessings were, just like I told you today. Do you know what your spiritual blessings are? You can inherit the world. Initially, God said to Abraham,
Genesis 12:1-3, 1 "The Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.'"
Is this a spiritual blessing? At that time, did Abraham receive this blessing, a spiritual blessing? Below is when Abraham is practically preparing to inherit this blessing. Let’s look at verse 4: "So Abram went, as the Lord had told him..."
Where did he go? To the place God showed him, "I will bless you there." Abraham was not clever enough to ask, "Lord, why not here? Why must it be there? What is good about that place? I think this place is fine; bless me here." He did not have so many thoughts. What did God say? "I believe You; wherever You send me, I will go."
Does Abraham appear to be tamed? If you can do this, you can inherit this blessing. Do not say, "Lord, why is it like this? Is my house not big enough? Why not give me a bunch of children here? Would it not be good for me to become a great nation here?" He did not have these thoughts. Whatever God said, he did. He went as the Lord commanded, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
Did God say to bring his nephew Lot? This was an extra burden. Remember: Once you have a little extra, that extra will become your burden. It is not that Abraham lacked love; God did not say, "Bring all your relatives." He only told him to come out, "You come out; I will bless you there."
Abraham thought he would bring his nephew Lot along because he was a relative. Along the way, they had a conflict. The Bible specifically records the separation between Abraham and Lot. In the end, they separated. Did this not fulfill what God initially told him?
If we had listened to God's words from the beginning, if God told you to go, you would just go by yourself. You could call them over later when you are doing well. Why did you have to bring them along? Bringing them along does not help them understand you. At that time, when they quarreled over the insufficient grass for their sheep, what did Abraham do?
He exhibited gentleness and humility, seeking God's will in prayer. At that time, both Abraham and Lot had many cattle and sheep, and the land could not support them because their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. You will find that as Abraham walked towards his promised land, God had already begun to bless him.
He already had much gold and silver, right? Along the way, Lot was also blessed because of this, but Lot should not have been brought along. At that time, they quarreled, and Abraham said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between you and me, nor between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, I will go to the right; or if you go to the right, I will go to the left."
Why bother? It would have been better not to bring Lot in the first place. Do not add anything to God's words. Whatever God says, we should do. That little bit of cleverness will one day become a thorn in our side. What the Israelites did was just this. After they conquered the land of Canaan, they saw the tall and strong ones and thought, "Why not let them live and work for us as our slaves?"
Their slave mentality never changed, and as a result, those people rose up and began to attack them because the Israelites did not listen to God's words. Many times, we make this mistake. Gentleness means being completely disciplined and trained by the master, obeying whatever the master says. Do you see how the tamed horse and ox behave? They are the most blessed. Because of Lot's issue, Abraham and Lot separated.
Why was Abraham able to make such a correct choice at that time? It was clearly a loss of benefit.
Hebrews 11:8-10, let us read together. This is the true faith of Abraham:
8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
Why could Abraham say to his nephew, "You choose! If you go left, I will go right"? Because at that time, his focus was no longer on the earth; he knew he was looking to his Lord. When my Lord blesses me, it does not depend on where I am. Knowing you are a blessed person does not depend on whether you can only be blessed here; you can still be blessed elsewhere.
The reason is simple. Deuteronomy 28 states very clearly: "You will be blessed in the city, and you will be blessed in the field." The key is not where you are but who is with you. When you understand you are such a blessed person, is there still a need to compete with him? Let him have it! Lot chose first, but in reality, he did not recognize God's blessings.
If we understand this, you will have gentleness within you, and you will have rest. Because the gentle are blessed; they shall inherit the earth. This matter was wonderfully fulfilled in Abraham. After Lot left, what did God say to Abraham? "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever." Who received a greater blessing? Abraham. If your eyes happen to fall on Lot's land, that would also be yours.
Abraham was not looking at earthly provisions but at heavenly provisions. Knowing he was a blessed person, he could exhibit gentleness towards his nephew, saying, "You choose." According to human ethics, Lot should have said, "You choose, you are the elder; if you go east, I will go west..."
But Lot did not understand humility at all; he was still poor inside.
Blessed people are gentle; they shall inherit the earth. This is the correct order in the original text. You know you are blessed because Jesus Christ has given you all His blessings, so you are willing to submit before Jesus Christ, listen to His words, and live according to His words. What is manifested is that you can inherit the world because this world belongs to Jesus Christ. If you listen to His words, you will inherit this world.
Finally, let us look at a passage of scripture, which is the practical application in our lives and also a part we can meditate on this week: 1 Peter 3:8-11,
8 Finally, all of you be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. 11 They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it."
This passage is something you can meditate on. Peter tells us that, in summary, we should be like-minded, sympathetic, love one another as brothers, and have compassionate and humble hearts. Gentle people shall inherit the earth or the world. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult; instead, bless, for this is how you can inherit a blessing.
Think about it: if you curse the person who curses you back, what blessing can you inherit? The only thing you inherit is cursing. But when others insult you, if you continuously bless them, you will inherit blessings from God, and God will change that person's heart. Amen! The Bible says that if you bless your enemies in this way, it is like heaping burning coals on their heads. In ancient Egypt, when a person knew they had done something wrong and repented, they would place a basin of burning coals on their heads to show they were truly wrong and repentant.
God hopes you will continually bless your enemies. They do not deserve it, but you should bless them. In fact, you are to inherit blessings. I have shared before that if you bless those who do not deserve it, if that person does not deserve it, the blessing will return to you, and you do not lose anything. Hallelujah!
But if you argue with them, you lose that blessing; peace, joy, and rest are all gone. You lose those blessings. But if others treat you this way, and you continually bless them, the rest remains upon you because you know you are a blessed person, unaffected by them.
Some say, "I cannot forgive him; I cannot help but curse him when I see him." The simplest way is to refrain from speaking evil. You say, "I cannot forgive him in my heart; I cannot bless him." What can you do? When you feel like cursing, just close your mouth and do not say anything. If it is really difficult, pray in tongues.
Do not let those evil words and attacking words come out of your mouth; do not speak deceitful words. By doing this, you are inheriting blessings. The Beatitudes are closely related to many things in our lives. May each of us be gentle people, bowing before the words of Jesus, and you can inherit the blessings of this world.
Let us pray together.
Heavenly Father! Thank You for Your words, which let me know that I am a blessed person. I am willing to inherit Your gentleness, willing to be disciplined and trained by Jesus Christ, living according to Your words. Because Your yoke is easy, and Your burden is light, I will enjoy Your rest when I come to You. When I willingly obey Your words, I can inherit this world. When I pursue You and follow You, this world will be behind me.
Wherever I go, this blessing will come upon me. Thank You and praise You! All glory belongs to You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I bless my brothers and sisters, let each of us be gentle people. You grant this gentleness to our brothers and sisters, allowing us to be a peace offering to others, helping our relationships and bringing peace to others. Thank You and praise You! In the name of the Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen!