Blessings Of Fullness

Matthew 5:1-12

God blesses those . . . (Matthew 5:3-10)

WHEN JESUS TOLD HIS followers they were the salt of the earth and the light of the world—sent with the same character and purpose he came with—he was following up a teaching on the Beatitudes, or the blessedness and happiness of his ways. He declared them salt and light right after the Beatitudes reoriented their values to align with God’s Kingdom. The implication is clear: The followers of Jesus will have influence in this world to the degree that they take on his nature and embrace his attitudes. The Kingdom mission is vitally related to the Kingdom character.

If that’s true, then it’s important to understand what these enigmatic Beatitudes mean. The first word of every Beatitude, makarios, is the key, but it is hard to interpret. Blessed and happy are the two most common translations, yet neither expresses the full concept. These blessings indicate the pathway to flourishing as a human being^a and experiencing the shalom—the fullness, wholeness, completeness, and satisfaction—of God’s Kingdom. For everyone who has gone through seasons wondering how to make life work, how to experience God’s blessing, or how to have some sense of peace, the Beatitudes are the answer. And for everyone who wants to be salt and light in this world as we are called to be, these are the foundation. If you want to be fulfilled in life, start here.

Granted, the list in Matthew 5:3-10 is counterintuitive. What Jesus says may not look like the pathway to happiness. After all, mourning, hunger, and persecution rarely make our bucket lists. Yet these are God’s priorities for his children for the all-important reason that they reflect his nature and embody his purposes. If we want to fit into the culture of his Kingdom without looking like tourists, these are the clothes to wear. And if we are going to be salt and light, this is where we get our flavor and our shine. Ultimately, we are called to be like Jesus, and these are fitting descriptions. They reveal who he is to a world that is longing for his fullness.

{Jesus, you have not just called me to believe you; you have called me to be like you, to take my cues from you, to step into your fullness and joy. Take me down the path of these blessings into your Kingdom ways. Amen.