Tuesday; September 17

If you were open the Bible to the Sermon on the Mount and didn't have a spiritual background, you might be a bit surprised by what you would find.  Let's be honest, there are parts of this lesson that don't make human sense.  Take, for instance, the beatitude that says, “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:6).  Folks, that just seems backwards, doesn't it!  Most societies have advocated that we need be aggressive in pursuing what we want.  If we see what we want we should go for it.  Several of us in the United States grew up with motto, “Grab the Gusto!” … and I don't think that we are the only culture with that mindset.  We have been taught that to be successful we need to plot, plan and pursue what we really want with a reckless abandon.  I mean, after all, if we don't look out for number one, who will, right? 

However, as is the case with much of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus turned His world (or at least His religion) on its head.  According to Him, those who are gentle will get the good stuff.  How can that be?  I think the answer to this conundrum is in understanding that He isn't talking about gaining physical stuff, I think His emphasis is on enjoying life.  It is difficult to find contentment if we are always trying to find ways to get what we don't have.  If we are selfishly scheming to gather goods, we will never be satisfied; however, if we relax, practice kindness and self-control, we may not have all the stuff everyone has, but we will enjoy it a lot more. 

What are we hoping to get out of life?  Are we going about getting it the right way?

Think About It! 

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