🌿 The Beatitudes: A Different Kind of Blessed
When Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount, He redefines what it means to be “blessed.”
Not:
• powerful
• impressive
• self-sufficient
But:
• humble
• dependent on God
• shaped by love and truth
Each Beatitude builds on the one before it, forming a progression of the heart.
⸻
🕊️ “Blessed are the meek…”
What Meekness Is (and Isn’t)
Meekness is often misunderstood. It does not mean:
• weak
• passive
• easily pushed around
Instead, meekness is:
👉 Strength under control
👉 Power guided by humility
👉 A heart that trusts God enough not to force its own way
A helpful picture is a strong horse that has been trained—full of power, but responsive, gentle, and directed.
⸻
What It Looks Like in Real Life
For parents and children, meekness can look like:
• Choosing a calm response instead of reacting in anger
• Listening before speaking
• Letting go of the need to “win” every moment
• Trusting God to handle what we cannot control
It says:
“I don’t need to prove myself—I trust God to lead me.”
⸻
Why Jesus Calls This “Blessed”
Jesus says the meek will inherit the earth.
This is surprising—because the world says the assertive and aggressive get ahead. But Jesus reveals that those who:
• walk with humility
• trust God’s timing
• surrender control
…are actually the ones who receive what truly lasts.
⸻
🍞 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…”
What This Kind of Hunger Means
This isn’t casual interest—it’s deep longing.
Think of:
• how you feel when you’re truly hungry
• how your body craves water when you’re thirsty
Jesus is saying:
👉 “Blessed are those who want what is right that much.”
⸻
What Is “Righteousness”?
Righteousness means:
• living in a way that is right with God
• loving what is good
• choosing truth, justice, and compassion
It’s not about being perfect—it’s about:
👉 wanting God’s ways more than our own
⸻
What It Looks Like in Daily Life
This kind of hunger shows up as:
• A desire to know God through His Word
• Wanting to do what is right—even when it’s hard
• Feeling convicted (and turning back) when we fall short
• Caring about how we treat others
For children, it can be as simple as:
• wanting to be kind
• wanting to tell the truth
• wanting to make things right
⸻
The Promise: “They Will Be Filled”
This is one of the most comforting promises Jesus gives.
When we hunger for the right things:
• God meets us
• God grows us
• God satisfies us
Not instantly or perfectly—but faithfully over time.
⸻
🌱 How These Two Work Together
These two Beatitudes are deeply connected:
• Meekness = surrendering control to God
• Hunger for righteousness = desiring God’s ways above all
Together they form a powerful posture:
👉 “God, I trust You—and I want what You want.”
This is the kind of heart the Holy Spirit shapes:
• soft, but strong
• humble, but deeply anchored
• longing, but deeply satisfied in God
⸻
💛 A Simple Way to Teach This to Children
You might say:
“Meek means strong on the inside but gentle on the outside.
And hungering for righteousness means wanting to do what’s right—like you really want your favorite food.
God loves when we trust Him and want what is good, and He promises to help us grow.”
*This teaching was generated in part using AI.
While AI is an incredible resource that is capable of many wonderful things, it is imperative to test everything you read or hear about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit against the Bible.
If you’re not familiar with reading the Bible, a children’s version is a great place to start!
These are a few our family has enjoyed reading together over the years:
- The Beginners Bible: Timeless Children’s Stories (ages 2-6)
- The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name (ages 4-8)
- Brave Girls Bible Stories (ages 5-9)
- The Adventure Bible: God’s Redemptive Story (ages 8+)
The Bible I read (and highly recommend!) is the NLT Life Application Study Bible, which provides contextual information on things like customs and culture, as well as biographies, maps and summaries. It also connects prophecies made in the Old Testament to the fulfillment of them in the New Testament through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
To receive a free Bible, visit your local church, library, or thrift store, or order one online here.
If you prefer to read online, there are countless Bible apps to choose from.
I often use Biblehub.com when looking to compare different translations of the same verse and, when looking to dive deeper into a particular topic (or verse), I visit GotQuestions.org.
For example, I did a quick internet search for the phrase, “Got Questions Matthew 10:31” and found the following informative article, titled “Why does Jesus say we are worth more than many sparrows?”
The ULTIMATE source of knowledge and wisdom is - without a doubt! - the Holy Spirit, which we receive by the grace of God when we claim Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
If you have not yet done that, rest assured for Romans 10:9 explains:
"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
Want to grow closer to God through fun & easy activities delivered to your mailbox each month? Subscribe today on the homepage.