“Blessed are the . . . .”

Note the manner in which Jesus states the “Beatitudes” (from the Latin phrase for “blessings”). 

First: What Jesus offers us in the Beatitudes is a guide to the kinds of blessings only God can provide. 

It’s a blessedness that transcends our circumstances, a joy and peace that the world can neither give nor take. From the start, we must acknowledge that what the Lord offers is something only he can deliver.

Second: Jesus says, “Blessed are.” 

He does not say “Blessed were,” when times were better. Nor does he say “Blessed will be,” when your current troubles pass. He says, “Blessed are.” 

The blessings that God uniquely offers are available to you each and every moment of your life. Those who live with the character described in these verses will know and abide in a kind of blessing that too often we mistakenly believe is reserved for heaven (or, at least, for our more peaceful times on earth).

Third: Jesus states, “Blessed are the.” 

In seven of the eight Beatitudes, Jesus begins by using some form of this definitive article to describe those who are blessed, the only exception being when he personalizes those who are persecuted in the final Beatitude. By starting with some variation of “Blessed are the/those,” Jesus demonstrates that these characteristics form the only path to the blessing God wants us to have.

There is no other way because there could not be another way. The remnants of our fallen nature make it too difficult to otherwise live every day with the kind of character Jesus describes in these verses.

Given that the idea of shaping our character to conform with each of the traits espoused in the Beatitudes is an inherently overwhelming task, it will take a conscious effort to avoid focusing on those that come more naturally while paying less attention to those that require more effort on our part.

It’s important to note, however, that Jesus did not intend to give us this option. 

When Christ began by stating, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3), he laid the foundation upon which the other Beatitudes would be built, which is why this devotional will focus on the first Beatitude.

Now, pray through this question: Have I sought to live by all of the Beatitudes—or just the ones that come easiest to me?