Part 2 – Why He Came
The author is a much better man than I. And you probably are too. When I hear “beatitudes”, I know they’re Biblical and I know they’re a list and I kind of consider them another list of Commandments. On the left side of the door, you have the 10 Commandments and on the right side of the door, you have the beatitudes and above the door, you have the 2 greatest commandments. You get the idea – move law – more legalism – more rules. I admit “blessed are the …” doesn’t immediately come to mind.
If I were to put this mindset of mine into words, it would probably look a lot like the rich man who asked Jesus what He needed to do and Jesus told him to sell everything he owned and follow Him and the rich man walked away disappointed because he wasn’t ready to make that sacrifice. You should be poor – nope, I’m pretty content. You should mourn – nope, I’d rather be happy. You should be meek – hahaha, how about faux meek.
No, the world has taught us to be the opposite. Our ambitions are to have it all and be the best.
I am currently leaving the author’s Stage 1 view of the beatitudes. He calls it Dangled Promises. Jesus promised these things to the unfortunates of the world to show them that there will be hope in the next world. This hope helps them to survive through this world. But I am not unfortunate. I am blessed in this world’s eyes.
Stage 2 is called The Great Reversal. And I am going to have to live here a little while so I can be ready for Stage 3. Mr. Yancy modified a list originally written by Monika Hellwig. The original list described the advantages afforded by the poor. The modified list describes the disadvantages of the rich:
1. The rich do not know they are in urgent need of redemption.
2. The rich do not know their interdependence with one another.
3. The rich rest in their security on things but not on people.
4. The rich have an exaggerated sense of their own importance, and an exaggerated need for privacy.
5. The rich expect much from competition and little from cooperation.
6. The rich cannot distinguish between necessities and luxuries.
7. The rich cannot wait.
8. The fears of the rich are unrealistic and exaggerated because they don’t know that one can survive great suffering and want.
9. When the rich have the Gospel preached to them, it sounds like a threat or a scolding and not like good news.
10. The rich cannot respond to the call of the Gospel because they have so much to lose and are not ready.
The third stage is called Psychological Reality. “The Beatitudes reveal that what succeeds in the kingdom of heaven also benefits us most in this life here and now.” People who have it all are still not happy or fulfilled. The people who leave the glory behind and enter into servanthood find more happiness and fulfillment than most people can possibly understand. Examples: Mother Theresa, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr.
Part of this resonates with the very reason I want to find my passion to live it. Pretty silly to say I have to find it. I’m a passionate person, but what is the thing that makes me most angry and frustrated that I want to change and would be willing to leave everything else to do? And how is that in line with God’s Calling on me?
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
John 1:29 (ESV)
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