The Good Life: Embracing Meekness and Hungering for Righteousness

The Sermon on the Mount, particularly the Beatitudes, offers a vision for life that challenges conventional thinking. In Matthew 5:5-6, Jesus shares two profound truths:

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

These verses contain transformative principles, yet they would have sounded perplexing to Jesus’ original audience. To understand their significance, let’s unpack what it means to embody meekness and to hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Meekness: Power Under Control

In today’s world, meekness is often misunderstood as weakness. Society celebrates strength, power, and assertiveness, but biblical meekness is far from passive or powerless. The Greek word for meekness, praus, conveys gentleness, humility, and self-control.

Proverbs 16:32 encapsulates this idea:

“Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.”

Meekness begins with submission to God. It reflects a life yielded to His will, not driven by personal ambition or pride. When James writes, “humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you” (James 1:21), he emphasizes the posture of the meek. They receive God’s Word with open hearts, allowing it to shape their lives.

For Jesus’ original audience, meekness was countercultural. The Jews of His time expected a Messiah who would overthrow Rome with military might. Yet, Jesus came to serve, embodying humility and self-denial. His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36), and His path was one of love and sacrifice.

Hungering and Thirsting for Righteousness

In Matthew 5:6, Jesus addresses a deep, insatiable longing: the hunger and thirst for righteousness. This Beatitude speaks of a driving passion—a pursuit more essential than food or water. Just as our physical bodies require sustenance, our souls depend on righteousness to thrive.

The world often hungers for the wrong things: power, possessions, and praise. Jeremiah 2:13 paints a vivid picture of this misplaced desire:

“My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”

True fulfillment comes only from God. Jesus offers Himself as the Bread of Life and the Living Water (John 6:35, John 4:14). To hunger and thirst for righteousness means to desire what aligns with God’s will and character. It’s a longing for His presence, His truth, and His transformative power in our lives.

The Beatitudes: A Spiritual Journey

The Beatitudes form a progression. They begin with recognizing our spiritual poverty (“Blessed are the poor in spirit”), mourning over sin (“Blessed are those who mourn”), and humbling ourselves before God (“Blessed are the meek”). This leads naturally to a hunger and thirst for the righteousness only God can provide.

As theologian Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains, this hunger is a test of genuine faith. If our hearts are truly broken over sin and we grasp God’s holiness, we will crave the righteousness that comes from Him.

Finding Satisfaction in God

Life’s challenges and trials often deepen our dependence on God. In these moments, we experience the sweetness of His provision and presence. As Jesus promises, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness “will be satisfied.”

This satisfaction doesn’t come from external success but from a heart transformed by God’s grace. When we yield to His Word and pursue His righteousness, we discover the abundant life Jesus came to offer.

A Call to Action

Are you willing to embrace meekness and yield to God’s purposes? Do you hunger for His righteousness as your soul’s ultimate sustenance?

Let these Beatitudes shape your perspective. True blessing is found not in self-sufficiency but in humility, surrender, and a passionate pursuit of God.