REDEFINING BLESSED

What does it mean to be blessed?

Think about that question for a moment. Don’t rush past it. What does it really mean to be blessed? If you had to list the top three things in a person’s life that would designate them as blessed, what would they be?What words would come to mind?

 

They may look something like this…

 

1. Good relationships

2. Good job

3. Comfortable living

 

If not those three exactly, maybe a variation of them would be prominent in our responses. For many of us, our culture has shaped our definition of blessedness. The American Dream is the ultimate reality to be enjoyed. The more stuff, more success, & more influence you have the more blessed you are.

 

But is this an accurate description of success? Is this the only definition that matters?

 

In Matthew 5, Jesus delivered the most famous sermon ever, the Sermon on the Mount. He opens the sermon with his description of blessedness. Notice what he says:

 

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 and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive 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 others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

 

Poverty, mourning, meekness, hunger & thirsting for righteousness, mercy, purity, peacemaking, & persecution—aren’t these the words that come to mind when you think of what it means to be blessed? Me neither.

 

Jesus has a very different definition of blessing than our culture does & often a different definition than we do. He turns the world’s values on its head. Everything that the world values, he doesn’t. Everything he values the world often doesn’t. So, whose definition is right?

 

The choice is ours. When we give our lives to Jesus, he begins to shape in us this other-worldly character. He leads us into a new way to be human. The kingdom of God redefines everything in our lives. The gospel transforms us into citizens of another country. And the best part is, we never feel more alive then when we have the blessedness of Jesus take root in our lives.

 

What do you think? What does it mean to be truly blessed?