"THE BEATITUDES"
“The Beatitudes” (Understanding True Success and Blessing)
Jeremiah 17:5-10; Matthew 5:1-12
How do we measure success? How does the world define it?
The world often sees success as having wealth, career growth, personal happiness, and social influence. While these things may reflect success, they don't tell the whole story of true happiness. Many of us want to be happy—for ourselves and our families—but we often misunderstand what true happiness is.
We all want to be winners. I enjoy watching sports like the Olympics or the World Cup. Athletes train hard to win, but in the end, only one team or person can be crowned the "champion," while the others are labeled "second" or "losers." Life can feel like this too—whether it's competing for a job, status, relationships, or success. We tend to think that winning means blessing and happiness, while losing means failure and unhappiness. We may envy those who seem to have it all: the rich, the strong, the successful.
But today, let's explore what Jesus says about true happiness and success.
The Beatitudes, which are part of the Sermon on the Mount, provide a surprising perspective. After Jesus' baptism, at the start of His ministry, He gave this message. The Sermon on the Mount contains some of His most important teachings.
In these Beatitudes, Jesus describes a different kind of success and happiness—one that is rooted in the Kingdom of Heaven. In Matthew 5, He says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted." These don't sound like the kinds of people we would expect to be blessed, do they? Who wants to be poor in spirit? Who wants to mourn or be meek? Who would willingly endure persecution? We often see these qualities as signs of being "losers" rather than winners.
But Jesus is telling us that these are the very people who are blessed by God. They may appear weak or disadvantaged according to the world’s standards, but in God’s eyes, they are rich in true happiness. The Beatitudes teach us that God meets us in our struggles—whether in our weaknesses, our grief, or our hunger for righteousness. God meets us where we are, just as God listened to the cries of the Israelites in their suffering in Egypt.
Through the Beatitudes, Jesus invites us to experience God’s blessing in the midst of suffering. These blessings are not commands; they are ways God meets us in our everyday lives: When we are poor in spirit, when we mourn, are merciful, pure, and work for peace, and when we are persecuted because of Jesus, God meets us. Those are moments when we open ourselves to God’s presence and God’s joy. And that joy is unlike anything the world can offer. It’s a deep, lasting happiness that comes from knowing and being close to God.
If the Beatitudes show us how God meets us, what does God ask from us in return? In today’s reading from Jeremiah, the verses compare two kinds of people: Those who trust only in humans and their own strength are cursed. They are like a dried-up shrub in the desert, unable to find help or relief, living in a barren, lifeless place. On the other hand, those who trust in the Lord are blessed. They are like a tree planted by a stream, with deep roots, strong and healthy. Even when things are tough or dry, they stay strong, calm, and continue to grow and produce good things.
Micah 6:8 tells us that God wants us to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him. These are the characteristics of those who truly trust in God. In God’s Kingdom, those who trust in God, live justly, love mercy, and walk humbly are the true winners. But some of these winners may look like “losers” to the world. They may be ignored, criticized, or overlooked. But the truth is that they are the ones who are truly blessed because they seek God and allow God to seek them.
The Beatitudes help us see that joy and blessing can come even through suffering. This perspective gives us the courage to become peacemakers and pursue righteousness. They also offer us a glimpse of the eternal joy that awaits us beyond life’s challenges and trials.
Friends, we are already blessed people. The abundance of blessings Jesus promises is already ours. And because we are filled with God’s blessings, we are called to share those blessings with others. Every time we show kindness, invite someone to church, offer encouragement, or meet someone’s need, we are sharing God’s blessing. Every act of love and service, no matter how small, is a way to offer God’s blessing to those around us.
May we continue to live as blessed people, sharing God's love and blessing with our family, friends, and the world. Amen.
1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
2. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
3. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
5. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
6. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
8. Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5: 3-12)
