The Beatitudes

Are you poor in spirit, hungry for righteousness, or burdened by persecution? Then hear the words of Jesus from Luke 6: "Blessed are you." Not because of worldly success, but because the kingdom of God belongs to those who know their need. Jesus turns the values of the world upside down—He doesn't bless the wealthy and powerful, but the humble, the hungry, and the hurting. His message cuts against the grain of the prosperity gospel and points us instead to a reward that is eternal, not earthly.

So rejoice when you are reviled, leap for joy when you are hated for the sake of Christ—because your reward is great in heaven. Jesus is not calling us to comfort but to faithfulness. And when we embrace the Beatitudes, we don't just receive encouragement—we receive the promise of God's kingdom. This is the blessing of following Christ: not ease, but endurance; not applause, but eternal life.