The Beatitudes (Luke 6:20-23)

Facts about The Beatitudes: 

• JC's words
• Tell about the relationship between Heaven and earth
• Found in Luke 6:20-23
• Show us the opposite nature in Heaven than on earth
• The word Beatitude means extreme blessedness and/or happiness

With these facts in mind please click on the link for Luke 6:20-23 and read the beatitudes to familiarize or "refamiliarize" yourself with them before reading the rest of the post.

   So, I read them these verses this morning and started to think about how I know many people who aren't hungry or poor or weeping or hated but definitely love God and are working the further His kingdom, what about them? Are they blessed? Will they by satisfied? The answer is yes, but why?
   I think that when we truly follow Jesus with all our being we will be poor and hungry and sad, just not always in the traditional context.

• "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God."                                                                Being poor doesn't always mean lacking money, it just means lacking. As Christians we may lack in all sorts of worldly things such as endless friends or party invitations but the sadness we may feel because of what we lack will completely disappear when we are blessed in Heaven.

• Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied."                                                           This could be taken literally but I know that in my case it isn't. There isn't a day when I don't get all the food I need but I can be hungry for other things like Jesus. The more "hungry" we are for Jesus, the more we recognize our need for Him and spend time with Him, the more He will fill us up now but more important satisfy us eternally in heaven!

• Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh."                  I personally am under the impression that no matter who you are and what your story is, you've cried (or at least been sad). The thing is, in a world of sin there is a lot of stuff that can hurt us but God promises that if we put ourselves out there for His good and get hurt because of it He'll make it up to us.
• Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!                                                            This is similar to the weeping one in my opinion but it emphasizes the point that we must do things for His kingdom if we want these things to be part of our story. If someone buys you a shirt you might right them a thank-you note and your gratefulness would bless them but if the bought themselves a shirt you won't write them a note because you have no part in that. It's like that with God to, if we get hurt trying to help ourselves, why would that put you a position to receive God's blessings? 

Anyway, I'd always thought they were pretty but never read them with that mindset before. I hope this helped you understand them better too! :)