The Beatitudes

Currently, I'm reading The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey; recommended to me by a friend, which I now recommend to anyone else. Part one gives context to Jesus' time on earth explaining Jewish traditions and why Jesus would've acted in a certain way or done certain things. Now I'm on Part two which is one why Jesus came in the first place, what His message was, etc.

So we begin with the Beatitudes. I don't think I have thought of the Beatitudes lately at all. The Sermon on the Mount, I find, is the core message of Christ; the teachings here lay the foundation of everything that God wants us to know, understand, and live out. This is His true heart. Yet I can't remember the last time I contemplated "blessed are the poor in heart." And what does that even mean? It's sad that when a concept is out of my realm of understanding I often shy away from digging to find meaning....because that would be too hard now wouldn't it? So often these days, the message I hear is "the favor of God, the favor of God, the favor of God" as if life is now to be easy once you tap into the correct theology. Now I totally believe and have experienced the unmerited favor of the Lord, but can we be falling into one extreme and forgetting the other side of balance?

No doubt the Beatitudes is a hard message to swallow anyway, but place it next to the "teachings" of the world and one's mind swims. The world screams, "Blessed are those who work hard, get ahead, are successful, etc"   
J.B. Philips rendered the Beatitudes that apply in the kingdom of this world:
Happy are the "pushers": for they get on in the world.
Happy are the hard-bioled: for they never let life hurt them.
Happy are they who complain: for they get their own way in the end.
Happy are the blase: for they never worry over their sins.
Happy are the slave-drivers: for they get results.
Happy are the knowledgeable men of the world: for they know their way around.
Happy are the trouble-makers: for they make people take notice of them.

How true is that! I can see that all over our culture and especially having studied Business, it feels like these worldy "Beatitudes" are just accepted as principle. If you want to fully participate in society you must follow these rules, and if you don't you won't last very long. Jesus on the other hand teaches, "Blessed are the losers and those who are grieving a loss. How lucky are the unlucky! Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are the desperate, the persecuted, the hungry, the thirsty, the down-and-out, the ridiculous." It doesn't make much sense to me, but if this is the group of people who God delights to bless then I know I am blessed beyond compare!!


"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."


God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of GOd.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for doing right, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. 
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 

It's all about the heart.