Commonly known as the Beatitudes, this portion of Jesus’ sermon in the gospel of Matthew tells us who it is that is considered blessed in God’s kingdom. Some of the beatitudes refer to dispositions: humility, mournfulness, meekness, and a commitment to justice. The others involve acts of mercy, peace, and justice. Jesus cares about who we are and what we do as his followers. Jesus goes on to say that those living according to his way may be looked down upon, made fun of, or even threatened. He insists that when that happens, we can be glad, because God notices.
Have you ever felt ‘reviled, persecuted,’ or had ‘all kinds of evil uttered against you’ on account of your faith? If so, how did you respond? Do you live your faith in a way that others would notice? When you look back at times when you have been brought low, how might God have been blessing you through that experience?
Offer a prayer of thanksgiving for the blessings that come from following Jesus and ask to be guided into a closer walk with your Lord.