Matthew 5:1-5
Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount
1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.
He said:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
I have heard that some people want and like to surround themselves with positive people with positive personalities...They might seem to forget about those on the fringe of the community, and those who are considered outcasts -because they often do not have a lot to be positive about or have a lot of positive things to think about...
Jesus seemed to live His life in a paradox as He began His ministry and when gave us the Sermon on the Mount...In the very first part of His Sermon, He said the ones who are blessed on earth are ones that are poor in spirit, those who mourn and the meek people...As one reads this Sermon, Jesus was not talking about the positive person or to surround yourself with those who are positive and always one to give positive waves to them...No, in His Sermon on the Mount He is telling us that it is blessed to to poor in spirit, to mourn, and to be meek...These are broken people which may have more negative in their lives than positive...
So let us be appreciative of those poor in spirit, those who mourn, and those who are meek...Let us welcome the outcast...They are often viewed as negative people...To be happy and appreciative around these neighbors helps us appreciate the good times better when we have them...The negative one's have learned to appreciate their good times in life...So let us surround ourselves with some negative personality types...Jesus certainly did...