A Framework to Live By
Today, I want to talk about a framework of a life lived for Him, given in Matthew 5:1-12, otherwise known as the “Sermon on the Mount” or the “Beatitudes.”
We will only get through the first three this week, so make sure to check back next week for more! Let’s start by reading that passage.
Matthew 5:1-12:
(Emphasis & Brackets mine)
“And seeing the multitudes, He [Jesus] went up on a mountain, & when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth & taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger & thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are you when they revile & persecute you, & say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice & be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Clearing Up Some Personal Misconceptions
I always misunderstood this passage in two distinct ways:
- I thought they were just a set of random sayings, in no particular order.
- I thought they were meant as if, “It’s good if you… because….” Versus “When you…, you’re blessed because….”
But, in a recent study, I learned a helpful way to look at this passage. When looking at a Matthew 5 commentary on enduringword.com, I learned to see this passage as a ladder versus a random set of quotes. (See that commentary, here.)
So, let’s walk through this ladder idea together, to see what it looks like to surrender your life to Him, live your life for Him, & hope in Him for your eternity.
“Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit”
Being poor in spirit means to recognize that you sin & that you can’t save yourself… that no amount of goodness can out-good the bad. It is a recognition that you need Someone else to save you (AKA Jesus Christ). (See my personal story about finding hope, here.)
It’s easy to go through life, trying to convince yourself that you’re a “pretty good person” but if you were to lay down that charade to realize that God knows every stray or lingering thought as well as sees every action of yours public or private, how long can you maintain that you are a “pretty good person”?
Let’s face it. You need Someone to save you. I need Someone to save me. We ALL need Someone to save us.
And that Someone is & can only be Jesus Christ.
Being “poor in spirit” recognizes that you have sin in your life. And it recognizes your need for a Savior.
THAT, is the first rung of the ladder… the first step in submitting to God… realizing your need for Him.
And the benefit of coming to that realization & turning to Jesus Christ instead, is that you join the “kingdom of heaven.”
“Blessed Are Those Who Mourn”
I always read this through the lens of, “It’s good that you mourn, because you will be comforted,” & I always thought that was a silly thing to say because I would rather just NOT mourn!
But, consider it like this, “When you mourn, you are blessed, because you will be comforted.” Sounds much more appealing now!
So, why mourn?
Well, stepping up on the next rung of the ladder in a life submitted to living for Jesus Christ, once we recognize our sin’s existence & our need for a Savior to rescue & redeem us, we naturally mourn.
It sucks to recognize how awful & sin-stained we really are.
We like to see ourselves as pretty good people & we feel reassured in that bubble, but once it’s popped, we are left feeling raw & vulnerable & pretty darn crappy, am I right?
And so, we mourn our wretched state.
But in that admitting of our wretchedness, we are blessed because God promises that we will be comforted. He doesn’t leave us feeling sorry for ourselves because He has rescued us from our sin!
“Blessed Are the Meek”
And this will be where we leave off this week, to pick it up again next week for the rest of the ladder… but for now, let’s check this one out.
I always viewed meek as synonymous with timid or pushover. I was wrong about that, too.
Meekness is more indicative of POWER or STRENGTH, but under control.
In other words, maybe you CAN handle something your way & your timing, but you instead choose to hand the reins over to God, in His way & His timing.
It is a form of humility, taking your strengths, desires, plans, will, way, etc. & submitting it to God, asking for God to be the Author & Guide of your life.
This is hard & our human nature screams to retake control, but it takes time & a lot of trying & failing & a lot of asking for God’s help.
Re-Learning a New Normal in Meekness
Sometimes we don’t even realize we’re fighting God for control because we have grown up doing it a certain way without a second thought.
The place to start with having a meek heart is to ask God for help over & over again.
My Ever-Repeated Prayers–Asking for God’s Help in Giving the Reins of My Life to Him
“God, here I am again. I feel so strongly that I want everything my way, even though my way never quite works out the way it does in my head. I always second guess You, even though I know that You know EVERYTHING & are supremely wise. How am I so dense that I keep having this power struggle with You after so many lessons learned? Will I ever learn? Or is this a conversation I am going to need to have with You for the rest of my life? *sigh* …
… I need You, God. I need You in even just helping me have awareness … so when I try to grab the reins again, You gently let me know. Help me see when I do it. Help me to learn how to trust You more & more. I know You have proven Yourself more times than I can ever remember, but God, I am so stubborn! Help me grow & learn….
… Thank You for Your patience & kindness & gentleness. Thank You that You understand me & keep working with me, never giving up, even though I earned Your abandonment many times over. You still stay by my side & never give up. Thank You! Thank You that You are all-wise, all-knowing, & all-powerful & that I can count on You in everything always. Help me remember that when I fight You. Help me see Your goodness again & again. AMEN.”
Those prayers aren’t literally repeated-I don’t have them written down for me to re-pray them. There is no power in what words I use. The power rests in Who I am talking to-GOD.
So, just speak your heart to Him. Be honest. Be vulnerable. Ask for His help. He is listening.
Self-Reflection
Take some time to see if you have gone up these 3 ladder rungs yourself.
Even if you slip from time to time, just keep moving in the right direction, not letting Satan lie to you saying imperfect progress isn’t worth it, because it always is, every time.
Keep trying toward a life lived for God, God’s way. And keep asking for His help as you do it… because it’s hard fighting our temporal humanness for God’s eternal blessings, but His blessings are always far more worth it than temporary gains of us winning the power struggle against Him.
So, don’t just struggle… ask for God’s help every step of the way… & every ladder rung taken. He’s got you, girl. He’s got you, always.
Shine Hope by asking for God’s help to live for God, God’s way. He’s always worth it & always able.
Coming Next Week
Next week we continue working up the Beatitudes ladder, found in Matthew 5, so make sure to join me then!
Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.
As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.
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A Note from Michelle:
If you would like to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3
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Weekly Special Spotlight:
Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
Mirage Earrings
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Artisan Information:
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