The opening verses of Matthew 5 are commonly referred to as the Beatitudes. Each of the nine beatitudes begins with “Blessed are . . .” and then provides a condition for blessing. I wrote an introduction to the Beatitudes in a previous post which you might find helpful.

In the USA, we might think we are blessed if we have a loving family, a good church, a comfortable house, a reliable car, a rewarding job, and . . . Each of our lists would include things that most people, of every culture and time in history would think necessary for happiness or to feel blessed. We likely think of blessing in terms of physical comfort and pleasant distraction. But Jesus shows us that he thinks otherwise.

F. Hauck, in the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, refers to the beatitudes in Matthew 5 as “sacred paradoxes” where God affects a reversal of all human values. He goes on to say,

“True happiness is not for the rich and secure, but for the poor and oppressed who are rich only in pity, purity, and peace. Blessing is also for the persecuted, for those who hear the message of the kingdom (Mt. 13:16), for those who meet it with faith (Lk. 1:45), for those who make no false demands (Jn. 20:29), for those who watch (Lk. 12:37) and stand fast (of Jesus (Jn. 13:17),”

What hit me this morning is that none of the conditions listed by Jesus are tied to the current situation of the one to be blessed. The conditions for blessing are internal and not external. They are based on choices we can make, not circumstances forced upon us. More specifically, in those conditions for blessing, Jesus outlines the correct response to the things that trouble us.

I am writing this to remind myself and my readers to focus on allowing my thinking to be transformed (Romans 12:2) so that I can see things from God’s perspective and be obedient to what he has called me to do no matter what goes on around me.