We are continuing our look at the Beatitudes found in Matthew 5. At first glance, this Beatitude, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled, seems a little odd. How can you be hungry for something like ‘righteousness’?
Psalm 42 reminds us that we can in fact desire God deeply. The Psalm says, as the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. Have you ever wanted to be so close to God that you were hungry or panting as a thirsty deer? Psalm 63:1 continues the metaphor O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my body yearns for You in a dry and weary land without water.
This song sung by the Maranatha Singers is worth taking time to listen to as it encapsulates how we can hunger and thirst; and be filled by the Holy One.
Very few of us have ever really been desperately hungry
or thirsty. In fact, we may be just the opposite—too full of things and food to
notice that we need God. Isaiah 55:2 tells us to listen carefully to God. Why
spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the
richest of foods.
According to Strong’s the word translated as ‘righteousness’
is from dikaios, meaning equity or justification. The New Living Translation says
we ‘hunger and thirst for justice.’ Righteousness and Justice are the things we
need more than physical food and drink. Those who are aware of their need are
indeed blessed and will be filled.
Recently a short article made the rounds on Facebook. I
think it’s worth repeating here because we sometimes think that we have to do
grand things in order to create justice or find righteousness:
“Several years ago I invited a Buddhist monk to speak to my
Senior elective class, and quite interestingly, as he entered the room, he
didn't say a word (that caught everyone's attention). He just walked to the
board and wrote this: "EVERYONE WANTS TO SAVE THE WORLD, BUT NO ONE WANTS
TO HELP MOM DO THE DISHES." We all laughed. But then he went on to say
this to my students:
"Statistically, it's highly unlikely that any of you
will ever have the opportunity to run into a burning orphanage and rescue an
infant. But, in the smallest gesture of kindness -- a warm smile, holding the
door for the person behind you, shoveling the driveway of the elderly person
next door -- you have committed an act of immeasurable profundity, because to
each of us, our life is our universe."
This is my hope for you for the New Year -- that by your
smallest acts of kindness, you will save an other's world.”
What might it mean to 'wash someone else's dishes'?
Does that act of service help to bring about justice or righteousness?
Think about what small act of justice, kindness, righteousness you might undertake today and tomorrow and the next day?
