The Beatitudes - Seeking Righteousness

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” – Matthew 5:6

I am on a diet again. It seems like I am always on a diet. A terrible thing to do during the holidays, when there is so much wonderful food and deserts available everywhere you go. The older I get the harder it is to control my waistline. I have discovered that the general cause though is over indulgence. Going from one extreme of strictly reducing calorie intake to the other extreme of eating every sweet I can get my hands on. What a viscous treadmill we are on as we try to control the very essential needs of our body. Food and water are requirements for sustaining a healthy lifestyle. This basic necessity has always been there and we all know the anguish of going too long without one or the other.

It is no different with our spiritual walk. There is a basic necessity, inherent in each of us, to be fulfilled and to find our purpose. Face it, you have asked the most common question at one point or another in your life, “Why am I here, and what am I supposed to do with my life?” It is the most commonly asked question in the world today and I propose that it has been for all time. In the days of Peter, Matthew, John and the other disciples the same question was asked. Imagine Matthew being raised in a strong Jewish home with vision of becoming a Pharisee, Priest or Scribe. Yet, he ends up becoming a tax collector and persecuting his own people for taxes and exorbitant fees. What happened in his life to push him away from the culture in which he was raised? With his knowledge of the scriptures, from his youth, he knew of God and the Jewish laws. He worked for Rome and likely did very well for himself. Physically I’m sure he never hungered or thirst for anything. So as a wealthy man of those days, he must have been longing for something more and asking himself “Is this it? Make money and then die.” I imagine that he hungered for a real purpose and a sense of justice and righteousness in life. For, when Christ looked at him and said “Follow Me”, he did.

A hunger in your life for purpose and fulfillment is fostered by a belief that there must be more than your current state.  I find myself frequently feeling, that each morning I wake up to the same high level itinerary: breakfast, commute, work, commute, dinner, some family time and off to bed; only to wake up 6 or 7 hours later and do it all again.  Whether you, like me, are seeking a more meaningful contribution to society and a more spiritually connected existence with your Creator – I propose the root desire is to make a more substantive contribution to the justice and righteousness of the world. The Lord is able to fill your desire when it is for the goodness and righteousness of His Kingdom. Some will seek more in life for selfish and self-centered pleasure and when it has been accumulated, will continue to find themselves hungry and thirsting for purpose. You see the world cannot satiate the emptiness inside. This can only come from the One who created you for righteousness and glory. Seek Him and your quest will come to an end and your real life will begin. Be ever thankful for what you have been given in life, and continue seeking His blessings on what you will do from here forward.