In the Jewish mind, inheriting the earth had to do with life in the age to come. For the time being, it was Caesar who was divvying up the earth. Or it is Donald Trump or someone like him who is dividing the earth, the wealthy, the powerful, the beautiful, the well-spoken, the haves, the “A” team. But Jesus announces that it is God who will divide the inheritance. And God will do it in God’s own way, not according to the world’s criteria. It’s tempting to turn Jesus’ words into a formula: If we get better at being meek, then we’ll be blessed. But Jesus isn’t giving a formula. He’s making an announcement. The have-nots, the “B” team, and the nobodies have a place in the age to come, and in Jesus, that age to come is breaking into the present.
Jesus’ listeners were well versed in the Old Testament. So his words about the meek inheriting the earth probably caused them to think of Psalm 37. Read Psalm 37. Where do you see “strength under control” in Psalm 37?
The way that God is ordering the world says that everyone has a share in the inheritance. Everyone belongs. Who do you know at work, in your community, in your school, in your church, or in your neighborhood who doesn’t seem to fit? What can you do this week to let them know that they are significant and that they belong?
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