As a fruit of the Spirit, I know I have meekness in me, but it's not an automatic posture. It's a minute by minute dependence on God. Left to myself, meek I am not. As our perfect example, without Jesus our meekness is counterfeit.
Poor in spirit is a condition of the heart, an awareness of our need for God. Out of that need comes a mourning over sin and its effects. As a result, meekness is produced.
Like the first three, the following Beatitude describes a person's relationship with God; and is not possible without realizing their need for Him.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6 NIV
Jesus, speaking to His disciples, knew that those who were listening understood what profound hunger and thirst felt like. Today, if you are reading this, most likely you have not experienced such an intense longing for physical food and water. However, each of us have deep desires that go unmet; such longings that may be fulfilled today, only to return tomorrow.
Previously Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek." In contrast, He does not say blessed are the righteous, He says "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness." So that tells me, as someone who is surrendered to Jesus, I will long for righteousness—hunger for justice—thirst for goodness, yet I will never fully acquire these this side of heaven.
What exactly is righteousness? Why don't we automatically have it? And why would we hunger and thirst for it?
Let's start with what it is. Righteousness is "the character or quality of being right or just; a condition acceptable to God." Just as our meekness without Jesus is counterfeit, righteousness without Him is corrupt. The Bible tells us that there is no righteous person (Rom.3:10); and all our deeds of righteousness are like filthy rags to God (Isa.64:6). Yet He loves us so much that He chose to pay for our sins Himself. True righteousness comes through Jesus. It's not achieved, but declared; and Jesus says that those who eagerly long for it will be satisfied.
As I look around, morality seems so—yesterday. It's as if the only desired righteousness is self-righteousness and it comes with an insatiable appetite for the pleasures of this world. The closer we walk with Jesus, the more we long for right-ness on the earth, but without Him, it's simply unattainable.
The Lord says, “All you who are thirsty,
come and drink. . . .
Why spend your money on something that is not real food?
Why work for something that doesn’t really satisfy you?
Listen closely to me, and you will eat what is good;
your soul will enjoy the rich food that satisfies. Isa 55:1-2 NCV
While we await heaven, may we hold tightly to God and trust in Him. As we do, pay close attention to your spiritual hunger and thirst as it produces "a longing that endures and is never completely satisfied this side of eternity." (David Guzik)
As a deer thirsts for streams of water,
so I thirst for you, God.
I thirst for the living God.
When can I go to meet with him? Psalm 42:1-2 NCV
The earth is decaying and the world spends its time trying to save it. Why is it that we care more about the dirt than we do the ones who are made of it?
Jesus loved. He wept. He called forth life. He stood with the weak, the weary, and the lame. He routed for the underdog. Yet He also stood up to bullies, those who puffed themselves up, the religious, and the self-righteous.
Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you. Ask Him for the strength and courage to stand with Him in His righteousness. Lift your eyes beloved, He has much for you to do. Will you join Him?
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