Ministry to the Miserable
"Blessed are the merciful," Jesus said. Mercy is concern for people in need. It is ministry to the miserable. Offering help for those who hurt...who suffer under the distressing blows of adversity and hardship.
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Insight for Today
Written by Chuck Swindoll, these encouraging devotional thoughts are published seven days per week.
Rewards for Being Different
The bottom-line question is not, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" but rather, "What are you becoming, now that you're grown?"
A Promise for “Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness”
The true servant of God possesses an insatiable appetite for what is right, a passionate drive for justice. Spiritually speaking, the servant is engaged in a pursuit of God...a hot, restless, eager longing to walk with Him, to please Him. That's who Jesus referred to when He said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness" (Matthew 5:6).
A Promise for "The Gentle"
So then, gentleness includes such enviable qualities as having strength under control, being calm and peaceful when surrounded by a heated atmosphere, emitting a soothing effect on those who may be angry or otherwise beside themselves, and possessing tact and gracious courtesy that causes others to retain their self-esteem and dignity.
A Promise for "Those Who Mourn"
And the promise for "those who mourn"? The Saviour promises, "they shall be comforted" (5:4). In return for the compassionate mourning they have given, comfort will be theirs to claim.
A Promise for "The Poor in Spirit"
This spirit of humility is very rare in our day of strong-willed, proud-peacock attitudes. The clinched fist has replaced the bowed head.
The Beatitudes: Three Observations
The introduction to Jesus' Sermon on the Mount is no doubt the most familiar section of His message. Commonly called "The Beatitudes," this section is the most descriptive word-portrait of a servant ever recorded.
Jesus' Command: "Be Different!"
When Jesus walked the earth, He attracted a number of people to Himself. On one occasion, He sat down among them and taught them some bottom-line truths about how He wanted them to grow up.
When You Grow Up
Christ gave us the example: "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28). To be a servant of God, we must be a servant of people.
Servanthood Starts in the Mind
Wouldn't you love to live courageously in spite of the odds? Doesn't it sound exciting to be divinely powerful in day-to-day living? Aren't you eager to become independently authentic in a day of copycat styles and horrendous peer pressure? Of course!
