The upside down Kingdom

In today's passage, King Jesus declares the upside down values of his Kingdom.

"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

Some thoughts:

These sayings are not speaking about how you get to be a part of Jesus kingdom, rather they describe how members of his kingdom live. These are the values which his people live by. Yet these values are so counter intuitive, they are unnatural. It is only possible to live by these values if the King lives in you. And he does, through the Holy Spirit.

These sayings encourage us to a holistic view of life. They encourage us not to judge by what we see; but to consider the spiritual. They encourage us not to focus on the present; but to dwell in the eternal. They change the picture for us, describing what a life of true blessing is.

Jesus spoke these sayings. And he lived them. If you wonder what they mean, look at him. If you want to live by them, ask him to live in you.