The
fourth beatitude is “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.” It’s like he was telling them that despite their
circumstances, they could seek after God and the righteousness that He desires
and they would be filled with the right knowledge, the right thinking, the
right actions, and the right attitudes that would change the world…the kind of
world that God envisions.
Beatitudes five through nine represent something else. They move away
from things we experience to the things I mentioned in the fourth beatitude,
things that lead to righteousness.
“Blessed are the merciful” says Jesus; “Blessed are the pure in heart”;
Blessed are the peacemakers” … This world knows too much cruelty, intolerance,
and harshness. Strife and violence are tearing our world apart. The current
divide in our own country seems fueled by those who have become so convinced of
their own virtue and vice, they have no desire for reconciliation nor
compromise. The path of Christ requires the arduous effort of finding common
ground, of seeing the opponent’s view point, of admitting that we might be
wrong, and becoming peacemakers.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, 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.” If you strive to live as Christ lived, you will be at odds with the
values and traditions of our culture. You may even become a target. Stand firm!
Stand for what is right! Be merciful…Be a peacemaker… strive to have a pure
heart…Be kingdom minded, you are blessed!
One of
my favorite parts of New Testament scripture is Matthew chapter 13. It’s the
parables of Jesus. He tells them the Parable of the Sower, then his disciples
ask him; “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” It’s almost like the
disciples are saying; “The people understand the story, but they don’t get the
point!”
He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom
of heaven has been given to you, but not to
them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance.
Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This
is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing,
they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them
is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘You will be ever hearing but never
understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s
heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have
closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their
ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ But Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous
people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you
hear but did not hear it.”
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