Being Happy in an Unhappy Worldනියැදිය

Two groups of people came to hear Jesus’ sermon about happiness: the disciples, who had made an absolute commitment to follow Jesus, and the multitudes, a curious crowd committed to nothing.

A disciple is someone who has forsaken all to follow Christ.

Jesus said, “Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me isnot worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:38–39, NIV). He calls us to a life of commitment.

Happiness doesn’t depend on the kind of house a man lives in; it depends on the kind of man who lives in the house. Happiness doesn’t depend on the dress the lady wears; it depends on the lady who wears the dress.

The world says, “Happiness is being rich, powerful, and famous.” Jesus, the architect of the human soul, cups His hands to His mouth and cries out, “Wrong! Happy are the poor in spirit.”

What does “poor in spirit” mean? It does not mean being a trembly-lipped religious doormat. It does not mean being a pious introvert trying to blend into the wallpaper. It does not mean being someone with no self-esteem who crawls, cringes, and grovels through life. It does mean happy are the broken in spirit.

- Happy are those people who allow the hand of God to crush their carnal nature so that they are no longer conformed to this world but are transformed into the glorious image of Christ.

- Happy are those who allow the hand of the Master to remove their imperfections, remaking them into a vessel of honor to please their Master.

To illustrate the point, Jesus picked up a little child and addressed His hardened adult audience, “Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3–4, ESV).

Jesus lists being broken in spirit as the number one priority in the pursuit of happiness.

Only when the carnal nature is crushed and the inner poison is removed can there be complete healing and a new beginning. Anything else is just new patches sewn over old cloth. To be poor in spirit, develop an ear sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit and a tender heart toward God and man.