Satisfied
Meg Chaney
“Seeing the crowds, [Jesus] went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
In this portion of Scripture called The Beatitudes, Jesus talks to the sad situations in this world and reminds us all that we live for another reality. A lifetime when misdeeds will be vanquished, and we will enter an eternity without sickness, without persecution, without unjust acts.
It’s so sad that we live in a broken world. About a week ago, I was approached by a lady who was desperately upset by seeing my daughter out near the road. She was distraught, crying, worried about my daughter’s safety (She was outside selling Girl Scout Cookies with her Troop). I knew that my daughter was safe, but I appreciate the depth of her worry. She was upset because, this world isn’t always kind. This world has some very dark, deep, evil places. This world isn’t always sunshine. Her worry struck a cord in my heart. I don’t want my daughter living in fear, but I did realize that I needed to have a few talks with her on the subject, to make sure that my daughter was living, not fearfully, but wisely.
In this world of harsh wrongs, we seek justice, we seek rightness. It comes from a place deep within where we realize the depths of everything sad, traumatic, and utterly wrong.
As an Enneagram 1, (have you read up on the Enneagram yet? Go here to read more), social justice is so important to me. Morally, I take very strong stances. There’s little gray in the way I view the world around me. Things are either right or wrong, black or white. I’m this way in how I love, who I love, how I make decisions, how I follow God. I had never read the Beatitudes in light of the Enneagram before, but comparing the two made for an interesting read. The Enneagram looks at our deepest drives, the things that make us tick as a human being. A desire for peace, safety, to be loved, to be known, these are all valid things that drive us as human beings. The Enneagram looks at these, so that we can better understand ourselves and those around us. As a 1, often called a Perfectionist or Reformer, I long for social justice in this world. Things, like this lady coming and talking to me about my daughter’s safety, spark something deep inside me. We live in a world where sweet girls sometimes do disappear. It’s hard for me to even write such words.
But, God’s word gives us a promise. A promise, a hope that in the near future all this brokenness will be fixed. The Enneagram shows us some of our deepest longings, The Beatitudes show us how much God knows our hearts. Our deepest hearts desire mercy, desire justice, desire peace in a world that is anything but.
In my deepest heart, I seek Justice. I seek Right-Ness. Right, for everything hurting and wrong in the world around me. The beatitudes promise me that those seeking righteousness will be Satisfied. They will no longer be left wanting. No longer left waiting. I will never find that satisfaction in this broken world, but I can find that Satisfaction and rest in Jesus. Yes, I will live my life here on earth serving Him and shining light on the darkness of this world. But I will also place my trust in Him alone. On it’s own, justice can be a messy thing. In Him, there is promise in tomorrow, when all wrongs will ultimately be made right.
I feel like this post has gone to some incredibly deep places. Do you have any good resources for me? I’m a lifelong learner and an avid reader, so I’d love to read your thoughts and resources. Feel free to share them below. And please know, in Christ, we have the promise of being truly Satisfied.
Did anyone else start singing Hamilton right there? Ok, only me!