A Life Worthy

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9).

Jesus is a peacemaker.

Peace between God and Man.

Peace between Man and Man.

Peace that passes all understanding, yet guards our hearts and minds.

The world is not at peace this morning–just look at your news feed. Yet the Son of God is calling you to follow in his footsteps today. Take a good look at the day ahead of you.  What potential conflicts are waiting at work? What person will likely push your buttons and make you twitch? What raging interpersonal storms do you get to sail into?

These are all opportunities.

Oh, I know they don’t feel like opportunities.  Except perhaps opportunities to practice your stress management mantra and work on finding your Happy Place.  But they are, in fact, opportunities to walk as Jesus did—to be a peacemaker.

Will you take the opportunity today, Beloved?  Will you be a child of God? Will you stuff your pride and walk in grace and humility?

I know it’s hard.

Will you do it anyway?

Happy Wednesday, Beloved.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy (Matthew 5:7).

I need mercy like you wouldn’t believe.

Well, maybe you would.

I mean, I’m not an axe-murderer or anything.  I’ve never run over an old lady while driving drunk in a car I stole from an orphanage. It’s just that I know what God requires, I know my heart, and I know that without the mercy of God I wouldn’t make it to my next breath.  So when I read this verse, I get really practical. Actually, I get a little mercenary. Or mercy-enary. I figure it like this: I give and I get.

As self-serving as that sounds, I think it makes me more merciful. When I see a need, I think of all the times I have needed mercy. And all the times I will.  And I’m more likely to give. I guess you could call it making a deposit in the mercy bank.

That is one account I never want to see overdrawn.

Think you might need mercy one of these days?

Then walk in mercy today, Beloved.

Happy Monday

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5).

Let’s not read too much into this, shall we?

I doubt that Jesus was literally promising you the world.  Really—what would you do with it if you had it? A town, certainly, maybe even a small state—but the entire world?  Come now. And what about that woman down the street, or the guy at work; do they also inherit the earth? How do we do the sharesies on that one? Jesus is teaching that those who walk with God will have all their needs completely met.  The earth and all that is in it are the Lord’s, and he gives joyfully to those who are his.

On another note, “Meek” is not the same as “Weak.”  When we read this verse, it’s easy to get the picture of these mousy, quiet, timid little oatmeal-eating people running the world someday.  It makes you wonder how anything would ever get done. “Meek,” in the biblical sense, means to be humble and gentle before God and man. A meek person trusts God to provide for him, and doesn’t feel the need to push and shove in order to get what is his.  One who trusts God, fully and completely, isn’t worried about the other guy. He has nothing to prove and no one to beat. He can afford to be gentle.

So, Beloved, will you walk in meekness today?  There may be a small county in it for you.

Happy Thursday, Beloved.

The words in red are calling to me.  Anyone for some Sermon on the Mount?  

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven(Matthew 5:3).

You’re not impressing him.  You know that, don’t you?

OK, so you pray, and you read the Word, and you tithe; you even visit sick orphans in prison. That’s great.  I applaud you. But don’t think that you’re going to parlay that into some kind of spiritual currency. It just doesn’t work that way.

Man, I sometimes wish it did, but it doesn’t.

Jesus says to be poor in spirit—to recognize that all you have to offer is really not so much at all.  I once survived for three weeks on generic ramen noodles, a dozen eggs, and tap water. I couldn’t afford shampoo—I used dishwashing liquid. I don’t recommend it.  Needless to say, I did little entertaining during those weeks. I knew that I had nothing to offer.

When we come to God, we need to realize that we have nothing to offer that he needs.  He owns everything. He doesn’t need our spiritual ramen. When we come to him, we need to be poor in spirit.

The tax collector in Luke 18 had it right.  He came with no demands, but with one simple plea: have mercy.  That’s the ticket to the kingdom.

Today, right now, the Lord of Everything stands ready to shower you with his love, his grace, his peace.  You didn’t earn it; you can’t pay for it. But you will need it before the day is out. Receive it, Beloved.  Open your heart wide and receive it.

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.