As I started to research the Beatitudes, I realized that this is a subject that I've thought of a number of times without knowing it. Our world is becoming more and more selfish and too many people are thinking only of themselves. People tend to look down on the sick, the depressed, the poor, the meek, and those who try to live righteous lives. Sadly, they also look down on those who try to help others: the merciful, the peacemakers, the pure in heart. Even more sadly: I've seen it personally from friends and family, all members of this church; and I'm sure I've been guilty occasionally. It has become a bad thing to be overly-religious. We are expected to welcome sin with open arms; in fact, using the word “sin” is another reason others ridicule the righteous. As a result, it makes it so much harder to live righteously.
Matthew 5: 1-12 says:
2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Matthew 5: 16 tells us:
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Our actions in this world should be about glorifying our Father in Heaven and our Lord Jesus Christ. This idea of being a light in a world of darkness was taught by Christ again when he visited the people of America. In 3 Nephi 12: 14-16, we read:
14 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the light of this people. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
15 Behold, do men light a candle and put it under a bushel? Nay, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house;
16 Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
In Matthew 5: 43-48 we read:
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
In the 1987 Ensign, Elder Robert E. Wells of the Quorum of the Seventy said:
It is inevitable that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints find themselves looked upon with suspicion by many today. The prophets have said that in the last days persecution will come again. . . . The Beatitudes give us the formula for coming unto Christ. We can use them as a foundation as we seek for a Christ-centered life.
Going back to the first scriptures that I read, Matthew 5: 1-12, “Blessed are the poor in spirit . . . Blessed are they that mourn . . . Blessed are the meek . . . Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness . . . Blessed are the merciful . . . Blessed are the pure in heart . . . Blessed are the peacemakers . . . Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake.” Christ says it right there: “Blessed.” We will be blessed for living as Christ.
As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we need to follow the teachings of Christ more than ever before. We need to be a shining light in this world of darkness, an example of what it means to be Christian. We need to learn to be tolerant of others, without accepting the sins of the world. As the saying goes: “Love the sinner, not the sin.” Don't give in to persecution by accepting the things we know are wrong, but don't turn your back on others, either; and certainly don't look down on those who aren't living the way we know to be right. Be a peacemaker, seek after righteousness, comfort those who mourn and are poor in spirit, and stand up for our beliefs, and we will be blessed.
