The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12; Luke 6:20-30)

Even in the world it is the case that the most successful business people have the character of wanting more and more. But in reality, should they be called ‘successful’? What is it that they want more and more of?

Because of their desire for more and more worldly things, these guys are doomed. They are not successful because of their craving for money, and the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Tim 6:10). So the issue on the table is about wanting more and more and whether it is right to want more and more.

When the Lord preached the beatitudes, he drew up important lessons. Let us first look at Matthew 5:3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” If someone is poor, he doesn’t have enough and everybody really needs enough. So what did the Lord mean? The Lord meant we should be like a poor person always feeling that deficiency. As Christians, he meant that we should be craving to get enough spiritual growth. At all times we should be poor in spirit, but always wanting more and more spiritual growth. For those who are like this: Yours is the Kingdom of God.

Look at Luke 6:21: “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.” Just as in being poor, this is not hunger for food that goes into the stomach. There is spiritual food we should hunger for, that is the righteousness stated in Matt5:6. We should have that craving of a hungry person. This should be towards the spiritual food and spiritual water. If we hunger now, for every second we will want more and more of this righteousness – and our Lord will satisfy us.

But if we feel we are rich, if we feel we are already spiritually mature, feel like we have had enough spiritual growth, food and water, warnings are given in Luke 6:24-26. It will be shown that if we never look for spiritual food, we will be hungry.

So brethren, though craving for righteousness might require us to go through times of mourning, we will be comforted and our meekness will enable us to inherit the Kingdom of God on earth.

Bro James Magombo (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe)