This week at Encounter Garrett Kahrs went over Matthew 5, specifically, the Beatitudes. I found the fact that each line begins with blessed is fitting because the word beatitude derives from the Latin word, beatus meaning ‘blessings’ or ‘happiness’ (there’s your Latin fun fact for the day). But what does blessed really mean? Essentially it means that we have a happiness that spurs from a deep satisfaction found
only in Christ. In short, blessings only come from Him. The Beatitudes (verses 3-10) give a great example and introduction on how to follow God. But why would Jesus call the broken blessed? That doesn’t seem to make sense, especially in a world where we all strive for perfection and try to hide any part of us that is broken. It also doesn’t make sense because we do not typically think of our hurt and brokenness as a blessing or to hold any sort of happiness.
What if Jesus had something different in mind for us?
When I think about the Beatitudes, my mind immediately goes to Matthew 9:12-13 where Jesus says, “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I did not come to call the righteous, but the sinners”. Jesus’ entire mission was to be with the sinners, there was something special and important about their brokenness. The fact that Jesus is so eager to meet people where they were is huge. A lot of people are scared or turned away from the idea of helping those who have deep-rooted hurt, it truly is a daunting task. It requires a certain love that is unconditional and present. If we take a second to think about it, everyone is broken, broken because of sin. We are all born into it. So we all need Jesus as a ‘doctor’, we all need that kind of healing. Jesus offers hope by saying we are blessed in our suffering, but how do we find that hope?
What if the broken are blessed because they are the first to admit their need for Jesus. Since blessings only come from Him, it would make sense that our need for him would transform our suffering into blessings. Only Jesus can fill what’s empty and heal what’s broken, He just needs us to accept the help He is freely giving to us. He is the doctor in Matthew 9, verse 12. He has come for the sick, not for the spiritually elite. We no longer have to hide our hurt and hope it heals on its own, but instead, we can surrender our brokenness to the One who heals.
We can see this in Matthew 5:3-10, where Jesus says “blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs” in verse 3 also when He says “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” in verse 6. Jesus is pointing out the hurts and struggles we face and says how they are turned into a blessing. We hurt and He heals.
We receive blessings and happiness in our suffering because the “kingdom is ours” (v 10). We need Jesus because through Him our suffering turns into purpose. He meets us in our hurt to bring healing and blessings. Our brokenness is welcome here, our brokenness is welcome in the arms of our Savior Jesus Christ. We need to take a step back and stop focusing on how our hurt looks and instead direct our focus to a Savior that sees how our hurt can be transformed.