现在我们来到基督给快乐的第三条处方：「温柔的人有福了！因为他们必承受地土」（太五5）。我们多么想逃避「温柔」这个词，只因为我们以为温柔是软弱，因此对耶稣的意思有完全错误的理解。《阐释版圣经》（Amplified Bible）把「温柔」翻译为温和、耐心、恒忍。「温和、耐心、恒忍的人有福了，因为他们必承受地土。」

字典将「温柔」定义为「谦卑、顺从和降服」。这是否表示耶稣期望天国的儿女好像被驯服的小狗那样，爬到主人那里，蜷缩在他脚下？或者是成为那种缺乏内在坚忍和魄力的人，容易被人影响和操纵？

真正温柔的人，根据圣经的意思，不是怯懦、害羞、犹疑和保守，而是信任、自信和安全。「温柔」这个词的根源意义是顺从或降服，没有这种特点便不能在基督徒生命中有真正的成长。举例来说，如果一位科学家在探讨宇宙奥秘时，是以一种挑衅和富侵略性的态度的话，那会有甚么结果呢？他甚么也不会发现。但如果科学家能以温柔的心灵来对待宇宙的奥秘，结果又如何呢？他会发现最丰富的奥秘向他揭示，以致他能够善用周围强大的力量。那些同样以温柔和顺服的精神来对待自己生命的基督徒，会发现自己存在的真正意义，以及神在他生命的所有事情中所赋与的目的。

We come now to Christ's third prescription for happiness: "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth" (Matt. 5:5). How we have shied away from that word "meek". We have thought of meekness as weakness and thus have a totally wrong concept of what Jesus meant. The Amplified Bible translates it thus: "Blessed are the meek (the mild, patient, long- suffering), for they shall inherit the earth."

The dictionary defines "meek" as "humble, compliant and submissive". Does this mean that Jesus expects the children of the kingdom to be like subdued puppies who crawl into their master's presence and cower at his feet? Or to become the type of people who lack inner fortitude and gumption, who can be easily pushed around and manipulated?

The truly meek person - in the Biblical sense of the word - is not timid, shy, hesitant and unassuming, but trusting, confident and secure. The root meaning of the word "meekness" is that of yieldedness or surrender - a characteristic without which no real progress can be made in the Christian life. What happens, for example, to the scientist who approaches the mysteries of the universe in a manner that is aggressive and belligerent? He discovers nothing. But what happens to the scientist who approaches the mysteries of the universe in a spirit of meekness? He finds its richest secrets unfolding themselves to him and he is able to harness the mighty forces around him to advantage. The Christian who approaches life in the same spirit - the spirit of meekness and submission - discovers the true meaning of his existence and the purpose of God in all his affairs.