Growing up in the church, the beatitudes was a section of scripture that made its way into memory verse territory on more than one occasion. I learned to appreciate the tension enmeshed within the words of Jesus as representative of the contrast between our world and the Kingdom of God; however, my appreciation could only go so far, as I felt I was simply unable to relate or even empathize with the qualities listed in these verses. Not until more recently have I come to realize that these are not characteristics we do or do not inherently possess, but these are characteristics we take upon ourselves. We may not be born poor in spirit; mournful; or persecuted, but we are to become poor in spirit; mournful; and persecuted.
To become, though, requires a shift in perspective. It requires humility. It requires surrender. We must be willing to say, “Enough,” if we hope to experience the blessings of Matthew 5. Our world works upon a principle that says we are blessed when we receive, but Jesus challenges this paradigm by saying we’re blessed through our choice to give up.
Throughout this season of Lent, may you grasp spiritual heights never before reached simply through a willingness to become “less.”
“I touch the sky, when my knees hit the ground.”
12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.
14 Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.