Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. (Matthew 5:6, NKJV).
Radical Living - Part 006: Ardent Craving; Painful Desire
The Lord's word choice in this beatitude is interesting. It follows His characteristic pattern in these passages of counterintuitive blessing followed by ultimate reward. It is a divine promise of fulfillment (literally, BEING FATTENED) for those who CRAVE and are PAINFULLY THIRSTY for righteousness. These are powerful emblems of fundamental desires patterned after undeniable bodily needs. It is a picture of fervent, steadfast longing, not squishy middle-of-the-road fondness. It is a willful, decisive commitment to justice and right behavior; the virtual antithesis of so-called "situational ethics".
The reward for such desire: fulfillment. I can barely imagine what it will be like to live in such an environment. No fear is the first thing that comes to mind. Why should there be? No one would be looking to exploit or manipulate or harm anyone else. Peace and safety will naturally follow. Why? Because righteousness precludes being weak or compromising. If justice prevails, there is no incentive for injustice. If unrighteousness is consistently and fairly punished, with nothing unfair being left unresolved, then no one would have to worry about self-protection or "wagon-circling." These mind pictures are very foreign to me; like I said, I can hardly conceive of these things in real life because they are the opposite of my experience and expectations.
Today, however, the very word, righteousness, has been painted with negative connotations by a society and and culture that thrives on lack of personal responsibility and encourages victimhood. Hollywood and the liberal media portray anyone who takes an unmistakable stand for "old-fashioned" virtues as psychopaths or misanthropes, when the exact opposite is true. The "popular and kewl" viewpoint is so far removed from actual reality, it would be funny if it weren't so destructive.
All of this is no surprise to Jesus, of course. Everything in his mountain discourse anticipates and is applicable to the increasing lawlessness of modern life, and while legislative bodies throughout the world attempt to impose various views of right and wrong, the attempt is, and will be, futile until a change of human heart occurs. And when that happens their will be no need of mere human regulation, but all will live according to the perfect Law of Liberty in Christ.
I, for one, can't wait. But in the meantime, my heart's desire is to cultivate that ardent craving and painful desire for righteousness, and to instill the same in my precious children, who will, in turn, instill the same in their children, and so on until the Lord returns.
One final thought, righteousness INCLUDES mercy and forgiveness. It must, especially in the life of a Christian, because the Son of God paid the price for our sin on the Cross so that God is both "just, and the justifier" of those who believe in Jesus. While unrighteousness has its temporal consequences, its stain in the life of a believer has been forever washed clean. It is therefore right that love and grace be an integral part of our steadfast longing for "Kingdom Life".
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22, 23, NKJV).
Radical Living - Part 006: Ardent Craving; Painful Desire
The Lord's word choice in this beatitude is interesting. It follows His characteristic pattern in these passages of counterintuitive blessing followed by ultimate reward. It is a divine promise of fulfillment (literally, BEING FATTENED) for those who CRAVE and are PAINFULLY THIRSTY for righteousness. These are powerful emblems of fundamental desires patterned after undeniable bodily needs. It is a picture of fervent, steadfast longing, not squishy middle-of-the-road fondness. It is a willful, decisive commitment to justice and right behavior; the virtual antithesis of so-called "situational ethics".
The reward for such desire: fulfillment. I can barely imagine what it will be like to live in such an environment. No fear is the first thing that comes to mind. Why should there be? No one would be looking to exploit or manipulate or harm anyone else. Peace and safety will naturally follow. Why? Because righteousness precludes being weak or compromising. If justice prevails, there is no incentive for injustice. If unrighteousness is consistently and fairly punished, with nothing unfair being left unresolved, then no one would have to worry about self-protection or "wagon-circling." These mind pictures are very foreign to me; like I said, I can hardly conceive of these things in real life because they are the opposite of my experience and expectations.
Today, however, the very word, righteousness, has been painted with negative connotations by a society and and culture that thrives on lack of personal responsibility and encourages victimhood. Hollywood and the liberal media portray anyone who takes an unmistakable stand for "old-fashioned" virtues as psychopaths or misanthropes, when the exact opposite is true. The "popular and kewl" viewpoint is so far removed from actual reality, it would be funny if it weren't so destructive.
All of this is no surprise to Jesus, of course. Everything in his mountain discourse anticipates and is applicable to the increasing lawlessness of modern life, and while legislative bodies throughout the world attempt to impose various views of right and wrong, the attempt is, and will be, futile until a change of human heart occurs. And when that happens their will be no need of mere human regulation, but all will live according to the perfect Law of Liberty in Christ.
I, for one, can't wait. But in the meantime, my heart's desire is to cultivate that ardent craving and painful desire for righteousness, and to instill the same in my precious children, who will, in turn, instill the same in their children, and so on until the Lord returns.
One final thought, righteousness INCLUDES mercy and forgiveness. It must, especially in the life of a Christian, because the Son of God paid the price for our sin on the Cross so that God is both "just, and the justifier" of those who believe in Jesus. While unrighteousness has its temporal consequences, its stain in the life of a believer has been forever washed clean. It is therefore right that love and grace be an integral part of our steadfast longing for "Kingdom Life".
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22, 23, NKJV).
