... the meek and the hungry
In the previous devotional, we introduced the first two “Beatitudes.” Remember … they’re pronounced “bee-At-itudes,” and no — they’re not about the different mental states of bees.
The word “beatitude” means “blessed” or “happy.” In the first two Beatitudes, Jesus said the poor in spirit and those who mourn are blessed. He said they will be comforted and that the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Let’s take a look at the next two beatitudes to see who else Jesus says is blessed …
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).
Is Jesus saying the poor get to go to heaven while all the meek people have to stay here on earth? Not at all. If you know Jesus and follow him, you’ll go to heaven. But if you study history, you’ll see that people have been fighting for a long time. Jesus is sharing his plan that humility and peace will one day reign on earth, and that will make it sort of like heaven on earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6).
You could have a little fun with your parents with this one. Next time you’re thirsty, tell your mom or dad, “I’m thirsty! Would you bring me a cup of righteousness, please?”
Joking aside, this is actually a very important blessing. Jesus is giving you the secret for how to live a fulfilling life. Sometimes we wish we had more stuff. And sometimes we think our lives would be better if we could just change that one thing about how we look, our personality or our situation. But Jesus says if you make your desire to live in the way he teaches, you’ll be happy and content. Believe him about this!
Next up: We'll talk about being merciful and pure.
Matthew 5:1-12
As you read the Beatitudes, think of how you could pass along Jesus’ blessings to your neighbors. For example, how can you comfort a relative or friend who is sad?
- Talk to a parent or adult family member about what it means to be humble.
- Make a list of the character traits of God. He’s impartial, loving, wise … think about how you can behave to model God’s character.
- Ask God to give you a meek heart. This won’t make you weak. It will make you wise.
- Thank God for showing us how to live a content life.
