the beatitudes by a different light

"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.

Matthew 5:3-10

I am currently involved with the training of a group of high school kids for a week where they will be serving others at church camp in Loudonville, Oh. We have been reading through and breaking down the book Improving Your Serve by Chuck McDowell, and I must say that I have been challenged as much as...if not more than...what we have been teaching. Honestly, I have never really spent any time studying the beatitudes, or reading in them anything beyond their face value. Kind of an "Oh, that's nice" feeling and quickly moving on to something I felt was more interesting or important. When, in reality, these 8 verses are everything that I should be striving to become in my daily walk with Christ. Just exactly what should my attitude be like when dealing with others? How far do I need to go? How outside of my own comfort zone do I need to live? The truth is, of course...far, far outside of everything that my human brain can deem as acceptable. When does God ever ask us to do "just" enough to get by? Never.