David Brooks
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Rome, Georgia
"You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family." – Matthew 5:9 (The Message)
The Bible is full of blessings. We cannot read very far in any book of the Bible without encountering a blessing from God or a blessing that one person shares with another. But some blessings stand out from all the others—blessings such as those that we find in the Beatitudes of Jesus in Matthew 5. These nine blessings from Jesus at the start of his most famous sermon set the tone for life with him. They are gifts from Jesus to us, reminding us that even when we hurt, when we are frustrated, when we mourn and when we are weary, we are blessed because we do not face life alone and our lives are held lovingly in the hands of God.
In my attempts to follow Jesus faithfully, I come back to these beloved blessings of Jesus time and again. I draw strength and my spirit is renewed when I carry just one of these blessings with me in my heart and mind throughout a given day or week. Reciting a blessing from Jesus brings me back to him and puts my day in the right perspective.
Even as Jesus blesses me, I wonder how I can be a blessing by reflecting his meekness, his hunger and thirst for righteousness, his mercy, his peace. And the blessing that he gives to all who strive to make peace might be the most relevant and timely blessing for our world today that is rife with division and distrust: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Mt 5:9, NRSV). Or, in the always practical language of The Message: “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.”
God blesses every effort that we make to resist the temptations of competing and fighting with one another. Cooperating and making peace in our relationships, even and especially with our opponents and enemies, is a true source of God blessing us all. And when we choose to make peace, when we attempt to understand someone else, when we show people how to cooperate, we live into our authentic identity as children of God—children who are beloved, blessed and befriended by Jesus.
May the peace and blessing of Christ be with you.
You’re Blessed
Matthew 5:3-12, The Message
You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.
You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.
You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.
You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.
You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.
Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
Pray...Give...Go.