Reading the Red

I've had a few rough days since my last blog. I've been reading my Bible and praying about what my Christian walk should entail. What does it really mean to be a follower of Christ? I figured I’d follow His steps through the New Testament… I started “reading the red” in my Bible. In Matthew chapter 5, I found some of the most challenging scriptures in the entire Bible. The portions below that are in parentheses are mine, I pulled the common phrases from the KJV because they are more easily recognized:

“God blesses those who realize their need for him (the poor in spirit),
for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them.

God blesses those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.

God blesses those who are gentle and lowly (the meek),
for the whole earth will belong to them.

God blesses those who are hungry and thirsty for justice (righteousness),
for they will receive it in full.

God blesses those who are merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.

God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
for they will see God.

God blesses those who work for peace,
for they will be called the children of God.

God blesses those who are persecuted because they live for God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted, too.”
(Matthew 5:3-12)

A few years ago, I read a book by Robert Schuller called The Be (Happy) Attitudes. After completing the book I was motivated to complete my own in-depth word studies on these scriptures and to try to dig out the true meaning/intent of Christ’s words. In studying these scriptures I have become more and more convinced that the Bible is a unique and living document. The more I study it, the more I learn. I can read and re-read a section of scripture, and come away from it with several different but correct lessons--not that the scripture can be interpreted differently; a different portion of it will stand out to me as my lesson for that time.

At this time, I am impressed by the Beatitudes as a whole. I see them as a progression, kind of like rungs on a ladder. The steps of the ladder progress as follows:

1. We recognize that spiritually we are bankrupt
2. We mourn our own sinful nature
3. We meekly submit to God’s will for our lives
4. We have what amounts to a physical desire for righteousness (it is our primary desire)
5. We practice God’s mercy/forgiveness
6. We exhibit a pure (single-minded) heart—no duplicity
7. We work towards peace—we advocate peace
8. We enjoy persecution that comes our way because we are identified as followers of Christ

Each of the eight steps carries a reward: the Kingdom of Heaven, comfort, the Earth, righteousness, mercy, the ability to see God, the title of “Child of God,” and the Kingdom of Heaven. A unique aspect of this portion of scripture is that it starts and ends with the same promise: “For the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them,” or, “is theirs.” This leads me to believe that the Beatitudes are a continuous growth cycle. So, take the ladder I described, and twist it into a Mobius Strip (it’s the sign for “infinity”). We can never forget that without God we are spiritually bankrupt, we must remember that “all haves sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:10). We have to meekly submit to God’s will, and so on, up the ladder. We can’t skip a step, and when we reach the “top” of the Beatitude ladder, we’ve got to go back to the first step and continue to grow.


The next portion of the Sermon on the Mount includes a challenge for all Christians:

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world—like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don’t hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:13-16)

This challenge flows naturally from the lifestyle described in the Beatitudes. If we are climbing that ladder, we will “spice up” our world. If we sense that we are losing our spiciness, then we need to hop off the ladder, go back to step one, and re-start our progression.

So… what does living the Beatitudes look like? How does the World see us? We are a light, shining brightly; lighting the way for everyone. The first four Beatitudes are internal, and not visible to the world. The World becomes aware of the difference in us when we exhibit the evidence of the last four Beatitudes. When we live a life that shows God’s mercy and forgiveness, when we act with integrity (with pure motives), when we advocate God’s peace (not just a cease fire, but true rest for the World) and when we are persecuted (in some cases martyred) for our beliefs then the World will stand up and take notice of us.

These four outward exhibits of our Christianity are not easy. We cannot accomplish them if we haven’t progressed through the first four steps. How could we advocate peace in Afghanistan or Iraq without first practicing God-like forgiveness and mercy? How can we practice forgiveness without acknowledging that we had to be forgiven first (remember, we are responsible for the death of God’s son—how difficult must that have been to forgive)? To do this we must also have God’s righteousness as our prime desire (our own pride must take a back seat).


God, my desire is to do your will. God, give me the strength to live up to the example set by your Son. Help me live the Beatitudes. Help me to grow in my love for you, and to mature as a Christian. Teach me to forgive others for their crimes as you have forgiven me for the murder of your Son. Show me ways to advocate peace. Give me the strength to love like you.