What are the reasons for your happiness? We can probably name several reasons that can give us happiness. But if we are honest, most of these things are probably related to material or worldly things that we get. Or at least our happiness depends on something that we have managed to get. There is nothing wrong with being happy about these things, but in Christ there is a more fundamental happiness.
The passage we are reading today has been very impressive to mankind throughout the ages. Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount are marked with the word blessed which is framed by the repetition of the phrase "theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (verses 3 and 10). Another interesting thing is about the listeners of Jesus' sermon. They came from various places and groups. In the Gospel of Matthew, the Sermon on the Mount is also where Jesus calls the crowd to be disciples, not just the first four followers (4:18-22), or the group of 12 apostles who had not yet been formed.
It is interesting to see that the greeting be blessed seems to contradict the adjective that occurs before. For example, in verse 3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Isn’t it difficult for someone who is poor to feel happy? Or someone who is grieving to feel comforted. So we need to look at this text beyond what is written. The word ‘blessed’ which is repeated nine times, does not mean a wish, but states that those people are indeed happy. People who are declared happy in the Bible are those who live well or act wisely, or those who have received special gifts. The sentence ‘those who are poor’ should not be interpreted as glorifying poverty, the meaning of poor here is those who are not controlled by greed, feel sufficient for all the blessings that God presents, and have the humility that in the end everything belongs to God. Isn’t this awareness important for us to have in this modern era?
People in this era are controlled by materialism and hedonism, as if our happiness depends on how many houses we have, the most sophisticated cell phone, countless assets, or the latest vehicle we have. Jesus invites people to feel sufficient and not controlled by possessions. They are the ones who are truly happy, because their lives are not controlled by insatiable desires and wants. Blessed are also those who are ‘meek.’ Jesus said that they would ‘inherit the earth’. Imagine that these words were spoken when the listeners lived in a reality where great empires ruled by oppression and using violence. In a way of life ruled by the Kingdom of God, violence and oppression of fellow human beings are not justified. An attitude of compassion and empathy for others is a value that must be lived by believers, that is the meaning of meekness.
Bible friends, let us contemplate listening to these words of Jesus. When life is being plagued by various challenges and struggles, from the top of a towering hill, Jesus calls out to all of us ‘be blessed’. It really feels refreshing, our happiness is slowly born and grows because true happiness is based on God’s love for us. At the same time, Jesus’ words ‘be blessed’ are an invitation to live the values of the kingdom of God in everyday life.
