“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed
are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, 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 children of God. Blessed are those
who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven.” (Matthew 5:3-10 NIV)
I applied for a position in a Christian organization years ago and was
presented with a list of legalistic rules having to do with the use of alcohol,
tobacco, and certain forms of entertainment. “We expect Christian behavior from
our employees” was the explanation. I could agree with this list because I, for
reasons mostly unrelated to my faith, didn’t do those things. But my
argumentative side thought, Why don’t they have a list about not being
arrogant, insensitive, harsh, spiritually indifferent, and critical? None of
these were addressed.
Following Jesus can’t be defined by a list of rules. It’s a subtle
quality of life that’s difficult to quantify but can best be described as
“beautiful.”
The Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3–10 sum up that beauty: Those who are
indwelt by and dependent on the Spirit of Jesus are humble and self-effacing.
They’re deeply touched by the suffering of others. They’re gentle and kind.
They long for goodness in themselves and in others. They’re merciful to those
who struggle and fail. They’re single-minded in their love for Jesus. They’re
peaceful and leave behind a legacy of peace. They’re kind to those who misuse
them, returning good for evil. And they’re blessed, a word that means “happy”
in the deepest sense.
This kind of life attracts the attention of others and belongs to those
who come to Jesus and ask Him for it… Such a way of living comes only by God’s
grace and can be put into practice only by those in whom God’s Spirit resides.
The “Beatitudes lifestyle” is entirely, radically dependent on the Holy Spirit.
God will transform our lives so that those around us can’t help but notice the
joy within us.
-- Excerpted from “Our Daily Bread Ministries
Canada” with David H. Roper
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