Summarizing our study of discipleship through brokenness:
the Beatitudes begin with a pre-requisite. We cannot experience the blessed’s of Matthew 5 without seeing ourselves as we really are: bankrupt apart from Him, helpless and impotent without the life of His Son. To those who face this and realize the poverty in spirit, a spirit of mourning is produced - a godly sorrow over sinfulness and falling short.
This leads to an attitude of meekness. We know our weakness and failure, but we also know our Resource, leading to a hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Living by the power of the Resource, we exchange our need, emptiness, and failure for His joy, patience, peace and love for others. We convey a merciful attitude, not grudge-holding, not judgmental, but giving mercy as we have been given God's mercy.
We want to keep our hearts pure in grateful response to what God has given: forgiveness, restoration, resources for righteousness and mercy.
Reconciliation, peace-making, is a natural by-product of one with a pure heart.
But take heed, those who typify the beatitudes will be ridiculed, misunderstood, slandered. Yet even in persecution, we can experience the “blessed’s,” the enjoyment of God, because we know He is working everything for our good and His glory.
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