Learning to Receive a Blessing

Blessed are the… - Jesus, in Matthew 5:3-11

These words kick off Jesus’s most famous sermon—the most famous sermon in the world. Eight times in a row, Jesus blesses different types of people. He blesses the meek, the poor in spirit, the mourners, the justice-seekers, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, the merciful and the persecuted. These blessings are not commands. They are not teachings. They are blessings. That changes how we think about them.

if these verses were commands, we would seek to obey them. If they were teachings, we would seek to understand them and apply them to our lives. But they are not these things, no matter how often we’ve heard them taught that way. They are blessings, and blessings are meant to be received.

Jesus kicks off the greatest sermon in history by recognizing people - mostly people who have been viewed as NOT blessed. Jesus turns the spotlight on them and tells them that they are indeed favored by God - they are special, they are seen, they are held in high regard by the Maker of the Universe. Just take that in - there’s nothing to do but let it in. Wow, that’s so contrary to so much of the religion most of us have encountered.

This is a moment of pure grace - pouring out goodness on us. Jesus truly sees us - even in our faltering attempts to be peacemakers, even in our moments of greatest sadness - and blesses who we are. He blesses every bit of poverty of spirit in us, he highlights all the moments when we’ve been merciful/forgiving, and he notices and draws attention to those times when our motives are healthy and good. Wow - we are seen by our Savior!

See if you can relish in this blessing today.