“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…”

Matthew 5:3

My stomach knotted up with a twinge of anxiety as soon as I saw the table. It was a long table, full of people. Don’t get me wrong, the group was a mixture of some of the best kinds of people I know – the kind that can be goofy one moment and have a deep theological discussion the next. The kind, in effect, that are welcoming beyond the natural human bent. I had arrived at La Pa just a bit later than most, and it was a little daunting to see a long table full of people I didn’t know very well. Just as the nerves were beginning to take hold, the small group leader I had just started apprenticing for turned around in his chair. A huge grin lit up his face as soon as he caught sight of me. I don’t even think he knew I was coming.

“Cora!” he called out with enthusiasm, pointing to the chair across from him. “That’s your seat!” Immediately, my heart was filled with a sense of belonging, and I happily took my seat to begin a lunch full of fellowship.

Recently, the Lord has really been teaching me a lot about what it means to bless others in His Kingdom, and who it is that He wants us to bless. If we, as followers of Christ, are meant to be His servants, I think that is a position we should take seriously. While we are on this Earth, I feel it is our responsibility to know how to live in a way that blesses those God calls blessed. So, first of all, who does He call blessed?

“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

These are the Beatitudes that are taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Here, He lists specific people who are blessed in His Kingdom: the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those who are persecuted because of righteousness. Now, those are a lot of descriptors, and each one of them brings so much depth and variation that I’d love to dive into, but for my purposes today, I’d like to just list these out and allow you to think on and draw from them what you feel the Lord is illuminating for you.

When I think of these words, so many people come to mind for each of them. And honestly, I don’t know that I’d always call them blessed. There are so many people I know who are mourning alone, who are suffering persecution alone, who are left in poor spirits alone. And I don’t think this means that Jesus was wrong when He said these people are blessed. I think that maybe I’m not doing my job right.

If we are called to serve God, and in that serve and love others, I believe that responsibility should be taken seriously. God is not limited by us, but I have always believed that He wants to partner with us during our time here. Rather than focusing on our own lives, God asks us to step out with Him in enforcing the laws of His Kingdom that seem backwards in our world – the laws that say those who are oppressed and wronged and sorrowful are actually those who are blessed. And He has laid out a roadmap for us so that we may seek out and bless those who He calls blessed, and love those who He calls loved.

I challenge you today to make a difference – to be a blessing. It is a beautiful and exciting responsibility for us as followers of Jesus, and it brings a new light and adventure to life when we live with this purpose in mind. What would the world look like if everyone chose one person to bless today? What would it look like if we, as Christ followers, woke up to the purpose set before us and pursued people with the kind of love Jesus demonstrated for us on the cross?

Blessing someone is so unique to each situation and person, but it starts with a welcoming heart that bleeds out warmth and love. Sometimes it can be as simple as turning around to look someone in the eye with a smile and saying, “This is your seat!”

Or, put more simply, “You belong here.”