“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5).
Many years ago, during a youth mission trip to Denver, we worked in a homeless shelter one afternoon. Our time there was punctuated by meal preparation, clean-up, mopping, and interacting with the guests.
As our group was leaving, I noted a solitary figure in the corner—a large man sitting behind a desk. It was his responsibility to take the head count each day, to monitor those coming in and going out of the facility. He explained to us that he once had been homeless himself, but was now ministering to others.
Above his desk hung a piece of cardboard with thick black lettering which read: “I’m not what I should be. I’m not what I could be. I’m not what I shall be. But thank God Almighty, I’m not what I was.”
As I left the homeless shelter that afternoon, I realized this was the very epitome of grace, a response in meekness that essentially declared God was still at work in our lives. No one is perfect. All are in need of God’s grace. We are always works in progress until we are called home.
As Jesus noted, the greatest power on earth is not swayed by strong arms of force or greed, but through love and an openness to the movements of God. This is meekness, resting in the power of God.
