Be Blessed – Part Two – Matthew 5:7 – 10

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Without question, marriage provides us with many opportunities to express kindness, compassion, and tenderness. I have found this to be a great prayer: “Lord help me to put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, and long-suffering towards my spouse.” Col. 3:12 It’s certainly not the primary reason we do it, but it’s nice to know that mercy will come back our way when we freely sow it into the lives of others.

Anne and I discovered long ago that mercy comes more easily for her while I tend to give it sparingly. A couple of reasons for that. One, is our motivational gifts Rom. 12. I have a clear gifting in the area of teaching, while she has the gift of mercy. In addition, Anne is a sanguine personality, which is much more prone towards empathy, while I am a melancholic, always aiming at getting things perfect and tending a bit towards being judgmental.

Another perspective, is that we typically give mercy to the measure which we have received it from God. Lacking in mercy, can be a sign that we do not clearly see the mercy that God has given us. When we think we have been treated unfairly (in being overlooked by God and His people), then we are not able to be genuinely gracious towards others. In our marriage, I struggle more than Anne in this area, thus I need to be more intentional to appropriate God’s mercy that I might release it to others.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

There are many complimentary verses we could reference here. I like this one: “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.” Eph.1:18 Other translations render it “inner illumination of the spirit” (Phillips) and “eyes focused and clear.” (MSG).

This is not just purity to avoid defilement, as noble as that is. In the Ephesians context, it is the ability to see ourselves as God sees us. “If we maintain this vision before our eyes of who we are, nothing less than God’s inheritance, we will be concerned to live in line with this unimaginably high calling.”

There is an energy in knowing the hope of my calling that drives me to want nothing less than God’s very best for my life. Being saturated in the revelation of the value God has placed on my life, the fact that I am a part of the inheritance he is gathering for himself, propels me to be without guile.  

Being saturated in the revelation of the value God has placed on my life, the fact that I am a part of the inheritance he is gathering for himself, propels me to be without guile. Click To Tweet

We were created to see God and to be near Him. When our spiritual eye is single in our obedience to Jesus, then our whole body is full of light and understanding of God. “The eye is the lamp of the body; so if your eye is clear [spiritually perceptive], your whole body will be full of light [benefiting from God’s precepts].”  Mt. 6:22 AMP

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight.” (MSG) The opposite of peace is strife. “Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.” Prov. 13:10 It behooves us to acknowledge our pride as soon as possible in marital communication. This will prevent strife from dominating.

Living in peace with everyone includes my being at peace with myself. If a person struggles with loving themselves, prone towards self-disdain, plagued with self condemnation, priority one must be to reconcile this inner breach. My primary mandate is to enforce the peace in ME, lest I transfer, whether by intention or ignorance, the instability of my conflict on to YOU. Many of our marital conversations have found resolution after I identified the marital conflict as being primarily sourced in the overflow of my personal conflict.

Living in peace with everyone includes my being at peace with myself. Click To Tweet

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

This beatitude is fortified by the verses that follow: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (5:11-12)

A sampling of the blessings: Perseverance and godly character Rom. 5:3-5. The Spirit of glory rests on those who are being persecuted 1 Pet. 4:14. Great eternal rewards will be received in the age to come Rom. 8:17-18.

Lord, I ask that you would impart your vision to my heart and mind, a greater realization of my calling and destiny. Help me to value myself in the same way that you value me. Let the eight beatitudes blossom like a garden in the midst of my marriage.