Counter Culture Revolution! Say What?!?
“So, when you grow up, who do you wanna be like?” This phrase may bring to mind an image of two little boys standing in the playground, talking to each other about their heroes. The one may say that he wants to be a famous soccer player, the other may want to be a fireman. As little children we iconize those people who have done great things, and set them as our heroes, and as we grow up we still do this to a certain extent. But as Christians, as people who want to please God, what type of person should we aspire to become like? Well Jesus carries on here in Matthew 5v5+6 telling us about the kind of person God wants us to be, the type of person that He uses to revolutionise a culture.
Power under control…
After Jesus showed the importance of our sorry at our sin, He then moves onto describe the characteristic in a counter cultural revolutionary that will inherit the earth. It’s not money, it’s not fame, it’s not power, it’s not influence, it’s not leadership, but it is meekness. Jesus said that those who are meek will be blessed, they will inherit the earth! That is exactly opposite what the culture of our day says, “Get rich, own much, and influence people” that is what we are trained to do by the culture that we live in. “Not so…” says Jesus “…see your sin, be sorrowful because of it, live in meekness, and inherit the whole earth!”
So what exactly is meekness? It is not weakness, it is quite possibly the opposite! Meekness is the having power but yet controlling it, the meek person is humble, patient, and submissive to God. Moses was said to be meek, but our ultimate image of meekness is seen in Jesus, He is all powerful, and yet He allowed Himself to be put to death on the cross.
True Satisfaction…
Jesus goes on to describe the inner desires of the person that He will use to turn the world upside down. Jesus cannot be fooled, you cannot trick Him, He knows you better than you do! He is calling for a total change of your desires, the things that you deeply desire, for you the turn your culture upside down, you need to be turned inside out. Jesus says that the person who desires true righteousness above all else will be truly satisfied, and that by Him!
Do you see how Jesus is taking us on a journey here, we have seen how unspiritual we truly are, we mourn over our sin, we have lost any reason for arrogance and pride, and now we crave righteousness! We have come to the One who can give us true righteousness, Jesus Christ. He calls all of us to come to Him.
