“Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, “God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh. What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way. “What sorrow awaits you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now. What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now, for a time of awful hunger awaits you. What sorrow awaits you who laugh now, for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow. What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets. “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you. “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return. “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.”
Luke 6:20-36 NLT
What does it mean to be blessed? On one hand, blessing means getting good things from the Lord, and we should be thankful. But Jesus expands blessing to mean more. Poverty, hunger, and weeping are not good things—but they can bring us closer to the Lord. The presence of God is the highest good in the universe; even in hardships we can be blessed if we turn to Him.
Someday His justice will prevail, and there will be no more poverty, hunger, or weeping. We need to join Him in working for justice even now. That includes radically loving people, even our enemies, in hopes that they will have a heart change and no longer be our enemies. We strive to love like Jesus because the highest blessing is to be close to Him.
These verses are radical. They are counter cultural. They are counter EVERY culture and don’t fit our human quest for happiness. God is telling us that our search is pointless without Him. Our hearts cannot find true joy in any other source but Him. Possessions, sex, pleasure, food, even human relationships cannot give you the peace of God. Only in Him can you be truly blessed. You choose every day if you want temporary gratifications or the eternal blessing of God.
Which one of these verses is hardest for you? How could you live it in real life today?
