It’s hard to imagine a spiritual quality more out of step with our culture than the quality of spiritual meekness or gentleness. It is the complete antithesis of self-assertiveness, the secular virtue considered most important to any chance of success in our highly competitive world. And yet Jesus identified it as one of the foundational characteristics of kingdom living. How can we know, let alone live and demonstrate a quality so completely counterintuitive to the values and practices of everything and everyone around us? This morning we’ll turn to the scriptures for an answer to that important question, beginning with Matthew 5:5, in a message entitled, “The Blessing of True Spiritual Gentleness”.