Blessed Are…
READ
When Jesus sat down on that hillside and began to teach, he turned everything upside down. His words challenged every assumption about success, happiness, and what it means to live a blessed life. The Beatitudes aren't just nice spiritual thoughts - they're a complete revolution of values that still shake up our world today.
Let’s take a moment to read Matthew 5:1-12:
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.
He said: “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.
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.
REFLECT
"Blessed are the poor in spirit" - Jesus starts with those who know they don't have it all together. In a culture obsessed with projecting strength and having all the answers, Jesus celebrates spiritual honesty. He's saying the kingdom belongs to people who can admit they need help, who recognize their emptiness without God. This isn't about low self-esteem; it's about honest self-assessment.
"Blessed are those who mourn" - Jesus doesn't tell us to put on a happy face and pretend everything's fine. He honors our grief and promises comfort. Whether you're mourning a lost relationship, a shattered dream, or the pain of living in a broken world, Jesus sees your tears and calls them blessed. Your sensitivity to pain isn't weakness - it's a pathway to experiencing God's comfort.
"Blessed are the meek" - This doesn't mean being a doormat. The word "meek" describes strength under control, like a powerful horse responding to gentle guidance. Jesus himself embodied this - he had the power to call down legions of angels but chose the path of love instead. True strength looks like choosing gentleness when you could choose force.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness" - Jesus is talking about people who are desperate for things to be made right in the world. If injustice keeps you awake at night, if you ache for healing in broken relationships, if you long to see God's love transform communities - that hunger is blessed. You will be satisfied as you partner with God in bringing his kingdom to earth.
These aren't just individual character traits to develop; they're describing what the community of Jesus looks like. Peacemakers working alongside those who hunger for justice. Merciful people comforting those who mourn. The pure in heart serving with the meek. This is how Jesus's character is meant to be lived out collectively.
The most revolutionary part? Jesus promises that this way of living - which often looks like losing in the world's eyes - actually leads to the deepest kind of blessing. Not necessarily easier circumstances, but a life aligned with God's heart and purposes.
RESPOND
Take a moment to process what God might be leading you to do in light of what you read.
Which of the Beatitudes challenges your natural way of thinking about success or happiness?
How might God be inviting you to embrace one of these "blessed" characteristics more fully?
REST
Take a moment to rest in God’s presence and consider one thing you can take away from your time reading, then close your devotional experience by praying:
Jesus, your teachings turn my understanding upside down in the best way. Help me embrace the blessedness of needing you, caring deeply about others' pain, and choosing gentleness over force. Transform my heart to hunger for your righteousness more than my own comfort. Make me a peacemaker in a world that needs your healing touch. Amen.