The Meek Will Inherit the Earth

When it came to free time for the instruments, one little girl was unlike all the others. I was volunteering for a toddler music class. The teacher had all the kids in a circle and dumped a pile of musical instruments in the center. And then basically said, “Go!” Of course, chaos ensued.

Every other kid scrambled as fast as they could to get to the instrument they wanted most in the pile. But this one remarkable little girl let all the other kids pick out their instrument first. And she took what was left, decidedly content no matter what it was.

Honestly, this concerned me for her sake. Every bit of maternal instinct in me wanted to be like, “Go! Get one you like!”

I was thinking, “You have to be at least a little scrappy to make it in America.” Honestly. I was thinking that.

This happened week after week, and every time she didn’t grab a musical instrument right away like the others, I said a worried prayer. Something like, “Lord??” That was probably all I could articulate. And every time, Holy Spirit whispered to me, “The meek will inherit the earth.”

He showed me that little girl was in a whole different realm. She had peace. She was content. Clearly, she wasn’t going to fight the others. She trusted everything she’d need would be provided for.

Golly. I want to grow up to be like that precious toddler.

She taught me a lot about trusting God. I don’t think the same way I did back then. The scarcity mentality, the fight for what you need even just a little bit… we can let that go. And it’s a huge relief when we do. Because God’s Word is true. The meek will inherit the earth.

So if you’re feeling like there’s a shortage on the job, the house, the book deal, the promotion, the relationship, the (fill-in-the-blank)… then you’ll probably get a little scrappy and fight for it. Some will get it that way. But when you trust God and His timing and trust that His ways are better than yours, we can have a confidence and a peace unexplainable like that sweet little toddler.

And when we surrender all to the Lord, sometimes He changes the desires of our hearts and a quieter life is a bigger win. Sometimes waiting lets Him set up something better. And yes, sometimes, the cost of surrender involves suffering and carrying our own cross. It’s not all roses and no thorns to follow the Lord Jesus. But if you count the cost and weigh the glory, it’s always worth it to follow Him.

Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5