First of all, I know this sounds bad but the beatitudes have just not ever resonated with my heart. Perhaps because terms like “poor in spirit” and “meek” are not modern words and phrases that touch the heart easily. We have to think about them.
Secondly there’s the reality of what is known. Like “the merciful will be shown mercy.” And in a season where I’m begging God for his mercy after a decade of suffering, then I wake up to face someone who throws one more straw on a the proverbial camel’s back that already broke a long time ago. But situations require that I live with a broken back for more time. How long O Lord?
And thirdly there is the last bit of it all. I read the list of beatitudes and these seem impossible for me.
I remember a young man saying he wanted to be the “pure in heart” beatitude because he wanted to see God. That young man is 18 now and is every bit pure in heart. I wish I could be like him.
In part that’s a bit of the point of the Sermon on the Mount. It’s impossible for all of us. Who can get through life without an immoral thought? Or having called someone something unrighteous? Or to be someone who is pure?
I’m not that. And especially not in this very moment.
But I have to confess, especially for the beatitudes, wouldn’t life be better if we were intentional about living these out? To put these in more colloquial words:
Humility
Gentleness
Peaceful
Merciful
Pure
and more.
Life would be better. And while there are few on earth who would disagree with these, and many run to post on social media that we need more of this, how do we live these in the grit of life? In the grime of war, abuse, conflict, and evil?
I don’t have the answers. I would have when I was young. But I’m not so young anymore. Yes, there are boundaries. Jesus had boundaries. God has boundaries.
But how do we practice righteously defending ourselves and at the same time practicing righteousness like this? When it’s just a one-off bad situation, Ok. But what about the people in genuine conflict? Who are enduring it day in and day out for years? It’s something I’m asking.
One way is to look more closely at Jesus. Many think he was some soft, milquetoast Jesus but he wasn’t.
Consider this:
- He spared no words when ripping into the Pharisees and Sadducees for a whole chapter in Mt 23.
- When people accused and tore into him trying to trap him, he stood his ground and engaged back at them that were equally if not more so confrontive.
- His rebukes of the disiciples were legendary. He called them “slow of heart” and other things to wake them up.
Yes, there was love in each of these. But love didn’t look the same. Love in Matthew 23 was hard, hard truth to wake them up.
So how do we live these? I don’t know.
Life isn’t easy to navigate. We need his help.
But I do believe it starts with a tender heart towards the Lord. Guarding ourselves from a hard heart. And if it does become hard, to find our way back home. To Him. Lord, lead the way. Turn my heart of stone into a heart of flesh. May we all live more in what you teach.
