Beatitudes Are About Our Attitude
This is Ananias' article from the November newsletter.
My Big Guy gave me a homework assignment while he went to the Lutefisk Dinner at Our Savior’s. He had read Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) to me the night before, and said I write my article about that lesson. But it makes NO SENSE!
Jesus is saying all of the people are blessed, but they are dealing with difficult circumstances. They are pour in spirit; they mourn; they are meek; they hunger and thirst for righteousness; they are merciful; they are pure in heart; they are peacemakers; they are persecuted and reviled. How are those things supposed to be a blessing?
So he left me to chew on that, plus a few toys and bones.
I thought about these beatitudes, and wondered if our attitude might play a part in these blessings.
If we are poor in spirit, we are humble, and realize we can’t do it ourselves, we have to put our trust in God.
If we mourn, we understand loss, and can better receive and share God’s love.
If we are meek, we are restrained, and don’t draw attention to ourselves. Instead we know everything comes from God.
If we hunger or thirst for righteousness, we want justice to be done. Jesus promises this will happen.
If we are merciful, we will get mercy. Jesus taught us to forgive others as we have been forgiven by God.
If we are pure in heart, it is only because we have been forgiven and made pure by Jesus. So by accepting that gift of grace and living in response to it, we will be with God.
If we are peacemakers, and work to end violence and prejudice, we are spreading God’s love. That is what we are called to do as Children of God.
The last two still confuse me. If people don’t like us because we are working for justice and the right thing to be done, or they say bad things about us because we are trying to do what Jesus told us to do, then that is their problem. We would be doing what we should do. If that makes them angry and they want to hurt us, they are the ones who are wrong. It may hurt us if they have power over us, but we need to do what God has told us to do.
I think if we focus on what God said to do, and not about how people react to what we do, then we will have the right attitude. And if we are doing what Jesus told us to do, to love others as He loves us, then we really are “blessed.”
That’s what I had figured out when My Big Guy came home. I’m still not sure what lutefisk is, but maybe that is a blessing as well.
Love and Licks,
Ananias
Ani earned a big belly rub for doing his homework.
+ pBRC
My Big Guy gave me a homework assignment while he went to the Lutefisk Dinner at Our Savior’s. He had read Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) to me the night before, and said I write my article about that lesson. But it makes NO SENSE!
Jesus is saying all of the people are blessed, but they are dealing with difficult circumstances. They are pour in spirit; they mourn; they are meek; they hunger and thirst for righteousness; they are merciful; they are pure in heart; they are peacemakers; they are persecuted and reviled. How are those things supposed to be a blessing?
So he left me to chew on that, plus a few toys and bones.
I thought about these beatitudes, and wondered if our attitude might play a part in these blessings.
If we are poor in spirit, we are humble, and realize we can’t do it ourselves, we have to put our trust in God.
If we mourn, we understand loss, and can better receive and share God’s love.
If we are meek, we are restrained, and don’t draw attention to ourselves. Instead we know everything comes from God.
If we hunger or thirst for righteousness, we want justice to be done. Jesus promises this will happen.
If we are merciful, we will get mercy. Jesus taught us to forgive others as we have been forgiven by God.
If we are pure in heart, it is only because we have been forgiven and made pure by Jesus. So by accepting that gift of grace and living in response to it, we will be with God.
If we are peacemakers, and work to end violence and prejudice, we are spreading God’s love. That is what we are called to do as Children of God.
The last two still confuse me. If people don’t like us because we are working for justice and the right thing to be done, or they say bad things about us because we are trying to do what Jesus told us to do, then that is their problem. We would be doing what we should do. If that makes them angry and they want to hurt us, they are the ones who are wrong. It may hurt us if they have power over us, but we need to do what God has told us to do.
I think if we focus on what God said to do, and not about how people react to what we do, then we will have the right attitude. And if we are doing what Jesus told us to do, to love others as He loves us, then we really are “blessed.”
That’s what I had figured out when My Big Guy came home. I’m still not sure what lutefisk is, but maybe that is a blessing as well.
Love and Licks,
Ananias
Ani earned a big belly rub for doing his homework.
+ pBRC
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