What It Really Means to Be Blessed

“Blessed are the poor in spirit …”

I wonder how many times I’ve read or heard the Beatitudes. I grew up in the church, so I think it might be close to a hundred at this point, most often in the New International Version of the Bible.

“Blessed are those who mourn …”

This passage might be one of the most famous of Jesus’s speeches. I’ve heard it quoted in venues outside the church as well.

“Blessed are the meek …”

The eight statements in Matthew 5:3–10 are most often taught as guidelines for how we should live our lives as Christians. We’re told we should strive to display these character traits as we experience the ups and downs of life on earth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness …”

I’ve heard some speakers present the series of verses as describing steps along a path, a journey to being more like Jesus. As though we’re moving from stepping stone to stepping stone, we start with being poor in spirit and move toward being righteous enough for others to persecute us, perfecting each trait along the way.

“Blessed are the merciful …”

Regardless of how we apply this passage, the traits Jesus is describing are difficult to attain—at least for human beings. Our natural bent is not toward meekness or mercy. In speaking these words, Jesus lays out a challenge for those who desire to be part of his kingdom, a challenge to be different from the rest of the world. It is not meant to be easy.

“Blessed are the pure in heart …”

Perhaps it’s because these statements present us with a challenge that Jesus starts each of them with the phrase, “Blessed are.” Instead of giving a command to be fulfilled, he invites us into an opportunity for blessing. There is an incentive for choosing his way instead of the world’s way.

“Blessed are the peacemakers …”

Somewhere along the line, though, I started to misunderstand exactly what the incentive was. I defined “blessed” as it is often defined in the American church: extra special. I had visions of people getting money or achieving success in exchange for accomplishing the difficult task of remaining pure in heart or keeping the peace in the midst of conflict. In my mind, they were treated differently and better than the rest of us, who were struggling just to have, maybe, one moment of displaying meekness to God’s satisfaction. Frankly, I started to be mad at God about it.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness …”

But then I read a different translation. In the New Living Translation, the Beatitudes statements start with the phrase “God blesses” instead of the phrase “Blessed are.” While it doesn’t change the meaning, this translation choice re-focuses our attention on the One doing the blessing rather than the ones receiving it. Suddenly I realized the burden of blessing rests on God, who gives it, and not on us earning it.

This realization pushed me to redefine my understanding of “blessing.” In the original language, the word we translate as “blessing” means satisfaction or fulfillment. What does that look like? If we stop after the first part of each statement, it’s easy to think it looks like our worldly ideas of satisfaction and fulfillment: people who act this way are extra special. But these statements have two parts. Each one continues with the word for introducing the blessing. For example, “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matt. 5:3–4 NLT).

The blessing is the satisfaction or fulfillment of the need introduced at the beginning of the statement. For those who are “poor and realize their need for [God],” satisfaction comes from being part of the kingdom of heaven, from knowing God. For those who mourn, satisfaction comes from being comforted.

[Tweet “When we choose to act like Jesus, we inevitably sacrifice something the world says we should want.”]

The blessing isn’t “extra stuff” given to people who have earned the status of favorite. The blessing is God seeing and meeting the needs of his children. When we choose to act like Jesus, to act like citizens of his kingdom, we inevitably sacrifice something the world says we should want. The Beatitudes remind us our sacrifice is not in vain. Instead, we wind up with something better: a God who satisfies more than worldly rewards ever could.

Katie Mumper is a daughter, sister, friend, writer, and singer. She loves Jesus, music, books, and great TV shows. Because she’s far from perfect, she is grateful for God’s grace in her life. She writes with the hope that others might be encouraged to let God make them new as well. You can read more of her work at beautyrestored.me.

Photograph © Bethany Beams, used with permission