If you were to take a guess at what kind of people . . .

If you were to take a guess at what kind of people Jesus would have selected for special commendation, you might be tempted to list those who had unwavering faith, or impeccable character, or whose spiritual bond with God was especially strong.  But judging by the Beatitudes, if that had been your guess, then you would be wrong.

At the beginning of his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus pronounces a series of blessings.  However, the folks he designates for these blessings are not the folks that very many of us would have put on the list.  He doesn’t select the spiritual giants of society, for example; he chooses the “poor in spirit.”

He doesn’t bless those who rejoice because they don’t have a sorrow in the world.  Instead, he blesses those who mourn—either because they, themselves, have so many sorrows, or because they are so empathetic with those who do that when someone else’s heart is broken, theirs is broken too.

He doesn’t bless the strong and bold, but the meek.  He doesn’t bless those who have already obtained righteousness, but those who realize that they haven’t, and thus are hungering and thirsting after it.  He doesn’t bless the champions of faith, but rather, those who have fallen short, time and time again, and hence are more likely to show mercy to those who are also repeat offenders.

He doesn’t bless those who are totally pure, head to toe, but those who are simply “pure in heart”—meaning that even though the world may have left them battered and bruised, they somehow kept their hearts from hardening and maintained an inner, childlike innocence about them.  He doesn’t bless those who are currently enjoying peace, but those who are still searching for it, and therefore are willing to do whatever they can to make it a reality for all concerned.

And then, at the very close of the Beatitudes, Jesus looks straight into the eyes of you and me, and promises his final blessing.  “Blessed are you,” he says.

“Really?  Us?” we ask in amazement.  “Yes, you!” Jesus responds.

In ways that we may never fully understand, whenever we are teased or tormented, whenever we are bullied or badgered, whenever we are slandered or scolded, because we dare to proclaim Jesus Christ as Savior, then we are blessed.  It doesn’t sound like much of a blessing, I’ll admit.  But then again, whenever we are persecuted for being Christian, it gives us the opportunity to demonstrate what it means to be a Christian.  And when you think about it, that’s a blessing in and of itself!