When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:
“You’re blessed when you get your inside world – your mind and heart – put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.
You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.
Not only that – count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable.
You can be glad when that happens – give a cheer, even! – for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.”
Matthew 5: 1-2, 8-13 The Message
Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, so he climbed a hillside. This intrigues me. Throughout my ministerial life, it was understood that Jesus climbed the hillside to have an elevated position over the crowd allowing his voice to carry.
However, The Message Bible paints a different picture.
Because his ministry was drawing huge crowds, Jesus climbed a hillside to separate himself from them. He was not impressed with numbers but rather with commitment.
The committed climbed with him. They were the ones who went beyond hearing what Jesus was saying to follow him wherever he went.
Did the crowds hear what he was saying? Probably so; he was elevated so that his voice could carry. But his focus was his climbing companions.
They arrived at a quiet place. I find this an interesting choice of words because they were outside, near the water, and with a crowd nearby. Jesus had something important to say to them that required their full attention. It is easier to focus on one sound—in this case, the voice of Jesus—in the absence of many sounds.
Jesus opened his mouth and taught them
The following 46 verses of chapter 5, chapters 6, and 7 contain the words Jesus spoke. These three chapters contain the uninterrupted words of God the Son talking to his followers. This means Jesus is talking to you—if you are one of them. Consider how powerful that is.
You are blessed:
They are called beatitudes, which means supreme blessedness. The Bible lists nine of them.
Jesus tells his followers that they are blessed when:
1—you’re at the end of your rope
2—you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you
3—you are content with just who you are
4—you have worked up a good appetite for God
5—you care
6—get your inside world – your mind and heart – put right
7—you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight
8—your commitment to God provokes persecution
9—every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me
For my purpose, I am only focusing on six verses in Matthew chapter 5.
“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight.”
Matthew 5:9 The Message
Today’s world is ablaze with anger, hatred, and political correctness. Headlines abound coast-to-coast with hatred and animosity because people choose to go against the grain. It is no longer socially acceptable to be a particular ethnicity, gender, political or religious persuasion.
Jesus addresses today’s issues with this one beatitude; show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight.
Farther along in what has been labeled the sermon on the mount, Jesus tells his followers that we are lights set on a lampstand, and since we are on this lampstand, we are to shine.
One sure way to shine in today’s hot-bed toxic culture is to show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight.
Rest assured that you will be going against the grain, but the light of your testimony will shine, and your life will be blessed.
How can you show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight?
1—Don’t agree with them
Although easier said than done, do not go along with your silence or nonverbal agreement when you find yourself in a hateful conversation.
This does not mean you become argumentative or disagree that being angry about it will solve the problem. If asked how to do that, perhaps get to know the person instead of judging them.
If an argument erupts, say, you are entitled to your opinion, as I am to mine. I think finding a way to get along is better than trashing them.
2—Don’t become religious
Two things will likely happen if you approach the conversation by quoting scripture.
1—they will not know what you are talking about
2—they will label you and refuse to listen to anything you have to say
Let your commitment to God be seen in your actions rather than religious talk. Remember, Jesus said to “show” people how to cooperate; let your actions be your words.
3—Don’t be confrontational
A study of the life of Jesus shows that he was confrontational with religious leaders because he wanted to expose the lie in your religious system. He was conversational with people who did not know him because he wanted them to see the Father’s love through his life—not how well he could condemn them with his words.
Showing people how to cooperate can be fun. It is a choice to respond rather than react. It is a decision to look past the hurt that causes them to act or behave as they do and attempt to touch the hurting person.
It will not always work, but when it does, what a friend and fellow-follower of Jesus you have found.
A close personal relationship with the Godhead is a journey. I invite you to follow along. I hope that as you learn, you can pass it along so that I (and others) might learn. As I learn, I will pass it along so you, too, can learn.
You must be logged in to post a comment.