(A) Identification: who are the meek?

It is probably best to think of meekness as the exercise of self-control in our dealings with others. The original Greek word was used of a horse that had been broken. A wild stallion rears and bucks if a rider presumes to mount it. Only when it is tamed does it stand meekly and submit to the will of man.

Furthermore it is self-control that allows us to deal with others appropriately. Francis Place the famous 19th century London tailor used to make expensive suits for gentlemen. Not withstanding the pride he took in his craft Francis found that at the first fitting of a new suit customers were frequently critical. Francis knew that the complaints were groundless. They were part of the appalling 19th century tendency of, 'letting a man know his place'. The tailor did not lose his temper or argue with his customer in spite of the slur on his workmanship and the unjust nature of the criticism. He quietly agreed to make the necessary adjustments. This was meekness; it was the appropriate response and it needed considerable self-control - much more than I have ever been capable of exercising. Francis Place folded up the offending suit, put it away for a week, made absolutely no alterations for he knew that when the gentleman tried it on for a second time he would be absolutely delighted with the non-existent improvements. The meek little tailor always had the last laugh because he charged for the adjustments he hadn't needed to make.

(B) It isn't true!

To inherit the earth is to possess it or, to put it in a way that we understand, to rule it. If a study is made of the World's great rulers meekness is not one of their obvious traits. Professor Barclay's view that, 'only when a man has mastered himself is he able to rule others', is insupportable from history. We would like to think this is true because it would help us to understand the third beatitude but Napoleon, Hitler, Stalin, Nebuchadnezzar, Alexander the Great and Tiberius, to name but a few, were not remarkable for their self-control although they exercise enormous control over others.

The day Oliver Cromwell put an end to the Rump Parliament he was overtaken by, in the words of Lady Antonia Fraser, 'a kind of sudden beserk fury'. He walked up and down the House like a madman, kicking the ground with his feet and shouting personal abuse. He had lost control of himself and such behaviour in a schoolmaster would invite ridicule. But when Peter Wentworth intervened and protested against Cromwell's lurid language the response was swift, "Call them in." In rushed five of six files of musketeers from Cromwell's own regiment of foot. That was the end of the Rump Parliament!

The point is this: Cromwell might never have taken the decision to forcibly dismiss Parliament, bauble and all, but for the fact that he lost his temper. Meekness would have been a real hindrance in the pursuit of power. Anger makes a man, with the means, resort to the decisive use of force.

A world ruler needs other qualities more than meekness. He must be tireless, decisive, as resilient as steel, confident in his own ability, strong willed, and able to identify with his fellows. The ruthlessly single minded inherit the earth.

(C) The impossible task.

So what does Jesus mean? We are inclined to take Jesus so seriously that we miss his ironies. Perhaps Jesus is being ironical here. Who after all has ruled the world? It has proved thus far, thank God, an impossible task. Is Jesus suggesting that it is equally impossible to fully conquer and control our selves?

I needed meekness as I cared for my father when he was in the early stages of the dementia associated with some forms of Parkinson's disease. I kept telling myself to be patient. Every morning I prayed for self-control as I prepared to get my father up. This particular morning my father has been up for some time. The bed is wet. The rugs have all been rolled up. A paper handkerchief has been shredded and scattered all over the floor. He has put his shirt and cardigan on over his pyjamas; his trousers are on back to front; he wears one sock but two shoes....I tell myself to keep calm. It will only take ten minutes to put all the bizarre wrongs right. My father doesn't do all this to deliberately annoy me. But why will he get up early? I tell him over and over again to stop in bed until I arrive to help him. I am beginning to get angry.... but let's suppose it is a good morning and I get on with dressing my father properly...just that sock to find! Where is the wretched sock? It takes me five minutes of fruitless, fuming, searching before I discover that both socks are on the same foot. By this time self is rampant - aggrieved, indignant - kicking, rearing, plunging, snorting, - eyes red and nostrils dilated. Who was the most handicapped person in our house? It wasn't funny!

You may have mastered your temper but how well can you control your tongue? James says in his epistle that the tongue is untameable. I was visiting my friend Perce in the West Suffolk hospital when I became distracted by a one-way conversation being conducted nearby. It sounded as if a rather flabby gentleman was dying. He kept groaning, "Ooh ah ah ooh, I can't stand it any more; I just can't stand it any longer. Ooh ooh ah ah ah ooooooh." The poor man's wife stood at his bedside the picture of misery. She was almost paralysed by fear and apprehension - like a rabbit hypnotised by the antics of a stoat. Up the man started again, "Ooh ooh ah ah ooh. I can't stand it any more. You must do something. OOOOOOH" I prayed hurriedly and selfishly, "Dear Lord don't let him die while I'm here." On and on he went, "Oooh oooh ah... I can't ....." It was getting horridly monotonous, nerve wracking. Why didn't someone come and help the man? His hollow, ghastly, repetitive, complaint was beading my brow with sweat. Just as I was prepared to go for a nurse an orderly came in to change a light bulb. He didn't listen for long. "For goodness sake, shut up," he said, "You're not half as bad when your wife's not here. Have a smoke and cheer up." The effect was instantaneous and dramatic. Quite another voice broke in, "What do you know about it? How do you know how I feel? It's none of your business anyway." It was a vigorous voice, an indignant, insistent voice, the voice of a man very much alive. Yes it was the sufferer with the flabby face. He had made a miraculous recovery! I shall never forget it. Here was a man who could not control his tongue. He was using it with secret enjoyment to maximise the misery of his wife. It was wicked behaviour.

Can we keep quiet when we are unhappy or do we, too, compensate for our unhappiness by making others as miserable as ourselves? I have so often in the past snapped, snarled and been singularly nasty to anybody foolish enough to stray into my vicinity after being dismissed for nought at cricket. Very few exert such self-control that they are able to act independently of their moods.

(D) The strongest men and women on earth.

Who are the strongest men on earth? It is hard not to admire the enormous strength of Olympic weight lifting champions or the phenomenal physical and mental endurance of a boxer like Ali; but they do not possess the ultimate strength. Those that inherit the earth and rule the world are immensely strong. It takes great strength of will to conquer kingdoms and exercise power over millions; but neither are such amongst mankind's strongest. Jesus says,"blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth." They are the strongest ones on earth for nothing is harder than to master one's self. No victory is more elusive.

Several meek men are described in the Old Testament but none can surpass Moses. He showed self-control even as he killed the Egyptian for beating one of his people. It was not a crime of passion. Moses looked this way and that before performing the deed. Moses exercised self-control as he led a mixed multitude out of Egypt and during forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Moses was sometimes angry - when it was appropriate, but rarely angry on his own behalf. Consider what he had to bear: continual grumbling, numerous whispering campaigns, the jealousy of Miriam and Aaron, Korah's challenge to his authority. Yet Moses kept calm and either held his tongue or took the people's problems to God in prayer. He was an hero of unrivalled strength.

Of all the remarkable qualities of Jesus none was more necessary than, or so amazing as, his meekness. How tired Jesus must have been after days spent teaching and healing the sick. Nothing is more exhausting than the clamour of the masses yet he was never irritable or impatient. How different we are. I preach occasionally at a church which used to have a lovely group of young people. They got on so well that they all decided to go on holiday together. During the holiday in the sun there was a monumental bust up and the group was destroyed. I asked the attractive organiser why it happened. All she could say was, "Well we all got so tired...."

Over and over again Jesus was confronted by the hostile criticism of implacable, unreasonable, opponents. He was never incoherent with rage. I have never been able to respond calmly to unjustified criticism of my competence as a teacher! Jesus also always tried to answer his critics. He did not ignore his enemies. He did not reply to the loaded question with, "No comment", or, what is even worse, a look of contempt.

There were times when Jesus was confronted by great wickedness that pushed his self-control to the limits. Why did Jesus doodle in the dust when challenged to sentence to death a woman taken in the act of adultery? I believe Jesus was buying time to control his emotions that had been profoundly stirred by the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. This enabled him to say quietly and unforgettably, "Him that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her". John8v7 AV.

Who can read the account of Jesus' arrest, trial and crucifixion without appreciating his strength - the strength of the fully controlled life. He will ever be the strongest man of earth. He does inherit the earth; it belongs to him and at the end of the age, at the name of Jesus EVERY knee shall bow.

What a challenge: to be like him; to be meek. It is a happy task - to develop self-control and to be strong, to have a heavenly reputation for the true strength, to have a share in the inheritance of the STRONG MAN IN HEAVEN.