Blessed are...

Recently I committed to stop reading books about the Bible, faith, and Christianity.  This isn't a wholesale rejection of all things literate, but rather a conviction that I had about my lack of passion for reading the Bible.  You see, I was very eager to read what  so-and-so has to say about the Bible, grace, atonement, passion, compassion, theology, doctrine, etc.... but I wasn't as eager to read the very thing they were writing about.  I felt it necessary to fully grasp the message before I engaged in mental conversations about the message.  What I was doing was in effect like reading a book about fishing and then entering a fishing tournament without ever having cast a line or wet a hook.  This doesn't mean I have never read the Bible.  I have, and do... I just haven't given it proper placement.

So, with that being said, I would like to share part of what I read today.  During my reading I encountered the Sermon on the Mount as found in Matthew 5-7.  I've read this a number of times, but usually breezed right through the first twelve verses of chapter 5 (The Beatitudes).  I chose to read slowly and here's what I found... certain things are expected of us.  We are expected to act, behave, think, and react in certain ways.  These are not laws, but rather guidelines for living as expected by our Creator... they are the rubric by which we are to evaluate our everyday lives.  Here's what I found:

• We are to recognize our need of God's help (poor in spirit)
• We are to have sorrow for the results of sin (mourn)
• We are to be gentle... not weak, but gentle (meek)
• We are to be hungry and thirsty for God's righteousness (as a result of being poor in spirit)
• We are to show kindness and forgiveness (merciful)
• We are to pursue purity... not just sexual, but also of thought, deed, and action (pure in heart)
• We are to promote total well-being, shalom (peacemakers)
• We are to remain faithful amid opposition and attack (persecuted)

Now, as a believer I do not find these surprising.  I was not shocked to read them.  I was not blown-away by the discovery of new truths... what I did experience was shame.  I placed my life up against these handful of verses and found myself severely lacking (hey check it!  I'm poor in spirit!).  In my mind I saw where I had not been mournful enough.  I have not been gentle with others.  I have not fully hungered and thirst for God's righteousness (His provision, yes... righteousness, no).  I haven't been merciful.  I haven't made pure actions and thoughts a stronghold of priority.  I haven't promoted shalom.  I haven't fully remained faithful amid persecution.

Please understand that I am not beating myself up publicly to elicit compassion or pity.  I am acknowledging that I am fully engaged in the journey of becoming like Christ.  I am His follower and place my everything into His hands.  I want this message to serve as a reminder to myself, and to others that we can neglect the "simple" things in pursuit of the grand.  I pray you all take time to look at these few verses of encouragement and instruction from our Savior.

I'll post more as I navigate through the whole Sermon on the Mount.