2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  

Matthew 5:2-12

The word Jesus uses for "blessed" can also be translated as "happy." The men of that time were unhappy with their living circumstances because they were Jews living under Roman rule. Hearing a message like this would have at least piqued the curiosity of the crowd. It is no accident Jesus opened His famous Sermon on the Mount in this attention-catching way. Disgruntled Jews seeking happiness would have dialed into His words.

Jesus says that being blessed or finding happiness is not the goal, it is the outcome. It is the result of specific activities or attributes of a man. We live in a world where men seek happiness and find disappointment. Jesus indicates that the result of a godly life is happiness, not the other way around. The pursuit of happiness is the search for something far different. Realign your way with Jesus' instruction and watch happiness become the outcome.

DO THIS TODAY: Choose and implement one activity or attribute from Matthew 5.