Drawn to the Gospel

Have you ever wondered what kind of person God is shaping you to be?

A big part of our salvation involves God making us more into the image of his Son. Jesus himself outlines this in his well-known Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew chapters 5-7. The sermon describes what a Christlike life looks like. In the opening, also known as the Beatitudes, Jesus says,

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3-10)

Now contrast that to who or what is celebrated in the world today:

Congratulations to the entitled, for they grab what they want.
Congratulations to the carefree, for they shall be comfortable.
Congratulations to the pushy, for they shall win.
Congratulations to the greedy, for they shall climb the food chain.
Congratulations to the vengeful, for they shall be feared.
Congratulations to those who don’t get caught, for they shall look good.
Congratulations to the argumentative, for they shall get in the last word.
Congratulations to the popular, for this world lies at their feet. (from Ray Ortlund)

Jesus didn’t just preach these blessings, He embodied them. In a very true sense, Jesus was the happiest and most truly blessed person who ever lived.

Reflections:

• Where might you be living more like the world’s beatitudes than Jesus?
• Which of Jesus’s beatitudes do you find most challenging or confronting right now?

This devotion is sent weekly to staff during school terms. It has been lightly edited for a general audience.