blessed are
/September air is sharp and sweet, with the world rapidly transforming into one of hard shadows and deep colors. It always makes me realizethat I haven't been outside breathing in Creation nearly often enough lately - that my head is full and confused and needs clearing, and that I need desperately to talk with God.
And, just like that, in the space of a single whispered conversation under an infinite blue sky, my perspective is set right and life looks entirely different.
I've been nearly beside myself with frustration and discontent and shame recently. I've been looking at my life - the past three years of it, anyway - and seeing little there to be proud of; I feel like I'm in the same stupid place I was before, never growing or changing or achieving anything. Still an introvert, still not making any new friends, still standing idly by wondering what my place in ministry could possibly be.
And then God speaks.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for you reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
- Matthew 5:3-12
We hashtag our Instagram pictures "#blessed," but what an overwhelmingly different definition of blessed - and for that matter, success, growth, achievement, and reward - God has from ours.
It's not "blessed are those with 10,000 followers." Not "blessed are the authors of bestselling books." Not even "blessed are the people who move to other countries to build homes for the poor" or "blessed are those who give seven days a week to church ministry."
My Bible teacher once said, "You are a human being, not a human doing." Could it be that I have bought into the worldly falsehood that I am defined and valued - even by God - by what I do, and not who I am?
Blessed are the poor in spirit.
The imagery of the word "poor" in the Greek is literally "one who crouches or cowers" - one who is beggarly. Blessed are the spiritually helpless - so may I be a beggar of heart, desperate for grace.
Blessed are those who mourn.
We often think we have to be happy if we want to please God - and yet He is near to those who have been rocked to their core by grief. Blessed are the emotionally distraught, the ones who feel a pain that this world can't possibly heal - so may I take that pain boldly to the only Comforter who can.
Blessed are the gentle.
While the world praises self-reliance and toughness and a "my way or the highway" attitude, God blesses the tenderness and pliability of heart that translates to humility. Blessed are those who don't rely on their own strength or stubbornness - so may I be of a yielded heart toward God and others.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
It's not "hunger and thirst for success" or "hunger and thirst to be impactful." It's hunger and thirst for righteousness. It is to crave the approval of God for the person one has become - so may I pour my energy into knowing and obeying Him more perfectly, and letting go of any lesser pursuit.
Blessed are the merciful.
Our culture trains us to laugh at the pain of others, to consider compassion a sign of weakness. Yet God blesses those who actively show mercy to others - so may I never hang my head in shame when I respond in loving empathy to those around me.
Blessed are the pure in heart.
"Pure" denotes a substance that is not contaminated by anything that doesn't belong. Blessed are the undefiled, undivided hearts - so may I guard against any sin or influence that could contaminate my loyalty to God.
Blessed are the peacemakers.
In Greek, the word for "peace" is actually "wholeness" - the state in which all essential parts are joined together. According to Strong's concordance, "a peacemaker bravely declares God's terms which make someone whole" - so may I set aside my own agenda to champion the wholeness of others.
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness.
Defensiveness and impatience toward the attacks of others are far less valuable to God than a resolute stand on one's status of righteousness in His sight. Only His opinion and acceptance are eternal - so may I never bow my priorities or my beliefs to the approval of any other entity.
I am a human being, not a human doing. God cares about the spiritual state of my heart, not my popularity or my goals or my achievements or my success. If I won the admiration of the whole world and pointed a million people to Christ, I would still have failed if I neglected my own walk with God. Becoming more like Him - knowing Him more intimately every day, even in the smallest and quietest of ways - is the only success worthy of a Kingdom reward.
