Nose up Attitude or Beauty Mount Beatitude?
Shalom! My opening word to you today as we go over attitudes we can have in stormy times of stirred-up emotions.
Imagine yourself 2000+ years back being born in a torn broken scared society.
Growing up seem to be scary. Soldiers everywhere. Not your own people but of a foreign nation. Romans that is. Yet THEY seem to be in charge, making the rules and making life difficult for those who are supposed to be the possessors of that tiny country called Israel. Wooden crosses seem to be plenty around Jerusalem. Crosses upon which your own people, criminals and worse are penalised with the death penalty.
By the time you are twe12, you can enter the synagogue, the then ruling religious institute- Rabbi’s, elders and scribes of that place teach you all there is to know regarding the rules, laws and practices of God’s law.
At the same time you learn about the promises this God gave to, what He called His own people- and you seem to be one of them. You also start to know that God is a God that already knows what happens in the future. And then- you learn, you will play a big part in it. Actually THE part. You discover Who you are while studying the scriptures! God’s very own Son. Yet the people seem scared, lost, burdened, hopeless and taking matters in their own hands. What are you doing amongst them?
Then this God showed you: “Show them Who I really am- Show them how much I care- Show them my heart- Show them this is not the end. I am actually in charge, not the Romans.”
You take the leap. You start. First two, then four, soon 12 and more followers, eager to learn from you. People seem to be comforted when you talk about who God really is. Then He showed you a mountain and tells you: “Your first sermon is coming up- prepare”. Your Follower Matthew pens it down. You wonder: “How can I encourage them when they are so burdened?” The Holy Spirit is faithful and whispers- “Beatitudes – Good attitudes no matter what. When people are nice to them, hospitable and kind, it is easy to have good attitude and react kind, polite and grateful. However, when that is not the case, attitudes can change quickly to a nasty, snobby, self righteous stinging attitude where the other person wants to run away from them as quick as possible.
What aroma are they giving off? An aroma that smells nice, sweet and pleasant (A God aroma) or one that has the stench of discouragement, hurt and death (An aroma from the realm of darkness)?
Let them look at your life! – Let them learn from the beautiful attitudes you, Jesus Christ , display while you, yourself will be going through a rough time your whole earthly life of 34 years.”
Living in a society that could have easily make Him shrink back, and just live a quiet life where no one noticed that Jewish boy that had the stain of a wedlock child, He took up the challenge His Heavenly Father put before Him. “Son, you have a destiny, you have a race to run. Run it well till the last inch. Run it with attitudes of love, peace, joy, longsuffering, gentleness, kindness, faith meekness, temperance. You can show as much of each one as you want. There is no law against giving too much of them. Show My heart to the people. You have an appointment with the cross in the end and worse. But the resurrection will be so astounding, the result so phenomenal, you won’t want to miss that- Run, my boy. I am with you. You and I can make it, because we are one! Love, Your Heavenly Father.”
And so He did- He finished His race. Now it is our turn- to run exactly like He did- the same attitudes- no matter what!
Here a definition of “Blessed” (Amplified version): Happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous — with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favour and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions- this is the account in Matthew chapter 5.
SEEING THE crowds, He went up on the mountain; and when He was seated, His disciples came to Him.
Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
1) Blessed are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!
2) Blessed and enviably happy [with a happiness produced by the experience of God’s favour and especially conditioned by the revelation of His matchless grace] are those who grieve (for others), for they shall be comforted!
3) Blessed are the meek (the mild, patient, long-suffering), for they shall inherit the earth!
4) Blessed and fortunate and happy are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God), for they shall be completely satisfied!
5) Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy!
6) Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God!
7) Blessed are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they shall be called the sons of God!
8) Blessed and happy and enviably fortunate and spiritually prosperous are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake (for being and doing right), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!
9) Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things against you falsely on My account.
10) Be glad and supremely joyful, for your reward in heaven is great (strong and intense), for in this same way people persecuted the prophets who were before you.
So if you truly want to be blessed, show the attitude of humility, grieving for others, longsuffering, a right standing with God, merciful, pure in heart, peaceful, enduring persecution because you did the RIGHT thing, at the RIGHT time, bear it when people accuse you falsely and still call yourself blessed.
He said it. And so it is.
You ARE blessed. No matter what.
Let’s show some Beauty Mountain Attitudes in the midst of questionable attitudes these days!
Shalom!
Akhrienuo
