The Law in a New LightSample

The Beatitudes – 2

To show mercy is to receive mercy; to show mercy is forward-thinking for yourself because one day you will need it. Everybody needs mercy at some stage. We are simply incapable of not making mistakes, of not hurting or offending someone, somewhere, sometimes. A deficit in your account will show up when a withdrawal is required.

The same is true with peacemakers; they display kingdom spirit and reflect the nature of their Father-in-heaven – the ultimate peacemaker, and at what a cost. Be merciful for God’s sake, for others’ sake, and your sake. One of the saddest stories in the gospels concerns the man who couldn’t possibly repay an enormous debt to his master, who subsequently forgave him. This man then collared someone who owed him comparatively little, a fraction of what he was forgiven, and threw him into jail. It was not a good day for that man who was shown such mercy but failed to show it to another.

We can’t see God unless our hearts are pure. The previous five verses show what a pure person looks like – it is a person poor in spirit, one who mourns, the meek, the one who hungers and thirsts for righteousness that reflects the love and will of God, a merciful person who shows kindness to failure.

All the above won’t make you popular. On the contrary, it will expose and infuriate those who are rich in their own eyes, those inclined to power and prestige as the markers of a good/successful life. What man esteems God despises - because it is no reflection of the crucified one – the true God-man, whose power is expressed in perceived weakness.

So, Jesus tells us to count ourselves amongst the blessed and rejoice with our reward as they did the same to the prophets before us. It is easily forgotten that hardly any of the prophets were popular with Israel because they took the nation to task for constant apostasy.

It is a noble and true life living out the beatitudes, but it won’t always equate to a pat on the back. True goodness is always despised by those it offends.