When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:
“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
“You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
“You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.
“You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.
“You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.
“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.
“You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.
“Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
I’m not very good at heights, but I’d like to be one of Jesus’ climbing companions… Interesting that He actually chose to leave a ready made audience and walked away to preach to just the committed ..
That’s exactly what struck me Alison.
It also seems to me here that “the committed” isn’t meant as term of praise (like churches often use it) saying that they were somehow spiritually superior to the crowd. It’s pretty obvious as the story goes on that they weren’t. But they were called. Called to be committed, to follow and to serve sacrificially.
And that calling included climbing the hill with Jesus, to a quiet place, to be with him and to hear some extra, teaching, which of course they would then later pass on (eg to us on this blog today!)
And it’s pretty obvious from what Jesus taught them they they were being called to reach the end of their own resources, to hunger for God, to make peace in conflict and to suffer plenty of opposition and hardship.
I’m so glad that we can just stay in the crowd forever because Jesus never calls us to climb the hill and hear those sorts of things as our calling too…..
haha I know what you mean – imagine having to scramble up some hill only to be told to look forward to opposition and persecution.
Actually, I just re-read the wording of this one:
“You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
It gave me quite a start – I guess that’s happened to me and that really was my experience. i don’t particularly enjoy losing whats most dear to me, but being embraced by Him is the most astonishing and profound experience..
Well….. I know that this version of the Beatitudes in the Message has kept me sane during the last 4 months which have been the toughest of my life (so far)…….. I love the fresh slant this version gives. I had gotten so used to the NIV it had lost its meaning a little. And I can honestly say that they work too!
Phew… I didn’t know that was from the Message. I was just scared by how much Greek Richard must know to whip up a translation before breakfast!
I love the first line: “with less of you there is more of God and his rule.” With the Christmas readings at this time of year, I’m a big fan of Mary who confronted with very unplanned pregnancy with God’s Son, simply said: Let it be to me as you have said! What an open-hearted response to God!
Wow, this must be either the first time i’ve read this passage or the first time i’ve read it properly. I love how interlinked each ‘You’re blessed’ verse is- we can’t be content with who we are without sorting out our inside world, our mind and heart.
As well as being good preparation for the challenges faced as Christians, this seems to be a really clear definition of what being blessed is (duh!). But i wonder if whenever we use the world ‘bless’ nowadays we mean what we’re saying. Saying to someone, ‘God Bless you’…..i dont think ‘losing that which is most dear to you’ or ‘being at the end of your rope’ is what i would have in mind! Guess thats the difference between Earthly and Heavenly standards- the scenarios Jesus mentions may bring immediate pain and suffering, but ultimately should strengthen our relationship with God.