The Beatitudes: A Personal View

This hub is my first attempt to answer a request in this community and I appreciate the opportunity to revisit a topic I often used in my developmental plays.

I believe there is much wisdom hidden behind the seemingly rigid nature of the beatitudes. And the lessons are abundant. I will approach the discussion in a more personal level as I am not an expert in Theology.

I have also included key guides on self improvement which I developed after a comment made by fellow hubber Home 'n Biz Blend. She came up with the term BE-Attitudes which inspired me to create a guide applying the concept that Neale Donald Walsch discussed in his books the Conversation of God series. He stated  that "the more of that your are BEING, the more what you are DOING will fall perfectly into place to allow you to "be" even more of that! "

May the Beatitudes serve our guide to BE that which we are. 

Many of us reach a point in our lives when we can say we are "poor in spirit" for these are moments filled with hopelessness. In moments such as these, "miracles" take place. Some find enlightenment after venting out all the anger inside, some discover it to be their turning point by deciding to act on certain struggles while others experience the uncovering of a Loving God. It is at our lowest point, I believe, that we are more open to receive love.

Receiving love could be quite difficult when protective walls surround us. When these walls crumble there is more room for love to come in. When love is allowed to enter, is acknowledged and is accepted then reconciliation or reunion with God occurs.

BE TRUTH.

I believe the "meek" here stands to describe people who have chosen to be still amidst the chaos. They have chosen to do so because their life concepts have gone beyond the standards set by the world.

Allow me to quote a paragraph from my latest hub redefining the proverb it is better to give than to receive. "According to Mother Theresa the greatest poverty of all is the poverty of feeling unloved. I agree. When we give to people that which they require for the moment we are actually giving them more than what meets the eye. We give them a chance to feel hope, a chance to see their value, see their worth, make them feel loved. This, I believe, is the greater part of why it is better to give.

Mother Theresa remained humble and meek amidst criticisms and popularity. Changing one's belief system of success could reveal new pathways to what we can consider as paradise.

BE COMPASSION.

• Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted

I believe this is a revelation of God's loving nature. It indicates how He tenderly cares for those who grieve, those in pain, those who need comfort of any kind. It is an assurance that He will always be there for us. He is committed to us. He is faithful and loyal to us simply because He loves us. Therefore, be still and know.

BE FAITH.

We all go through a moment in life where we seek justice for the offenses done against us and again we are assured God will take care of this particular need. How He can fill this need may come in varied forms.

I was seeking justice for the sexual abuses done to me as a child, a teenager and as a professional during a very emotional prayer time. God used that moment to reveal to me the true meaning of unconditional love. No, it was not about forgiving the offenders, rather it was assuring me that it wasn't my fault, that it was okay for me to feel the anger, that it was fine by Him if I hated Him, or that I blamed Him. He allowed me to be. He simply embraced me with pure love and the moment I accepted His embrace something happened.

Unlike anything I've ever experienced before I felt a jolt of light illuminating above my head penetrating to the core of my being carrying with it all the understanding of unconditional love.

I cried with joy the whole night through in recognition of this perfect love. And this all happened on the eve of Christmas day. Justice like no other has been more than satisfied.

BE TRUST.

• Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy

This I believe is in reference to the universal law of causality. What you put forth is that which you will receive. And again things may come back in various forms or as we often say "in God's ways and not ours." We may have to be more sensitive to the events that occur in our daily lives else we miss recognizing the blessings of mercy being poured upon us everyday.

BE MERCY.

• Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.

The "clean of heart" for me does not necessarily mean being sinless but more so on the sincerity of intent. I believe one can be truly sincere if one sees things through the eyes of God for He sees beyond our faults and adores the beauty stemming from within our souls. This leads us to live with a grateful heart

BE GRATITUDE.

• Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

We are all children of God. I believe the phrase "they shall be called" is a way of telling people that if we do choose to respond in peace in the face of conflict then we will be recognized as one who possess the qualities inherent of God.

BE PEACE.

Persecution comes in many forms these days. Indifference is one of the more subtle ones and could be the most deadly if we consider Mother Theresa's view of poverty.

However being persecuted for doing a good deed could be the best setting for one to experience God's love expressed through unpredictable events. A long standing cold war with parents could just end as they come to support you in your hour of need or a news update that positively affect your current state, could suddenly occur. The possibilities are endless. And that could well be a heavenly experience.

I enjoyed reflecting on the beatitudes again. I hope my personal interpretations of them will serve as another way of viewing the wisdom behind the words. Godbless:)

BE LOVE.

Daisy Ba-ad