we may be like Christ if we really desire to be. We may have
our lives like His life, our actions in harmony with the law of God.
The Holy Spirit will bring God’s love into our hearts, so that we shall
delight to do His will.
God is more willing to give us His Spirit than parents are to give
good things to their children. His promise is, “Ask, and it shall be
given you.” Luke 11:9; Matthew 7:7. All that hunger and thirst after
righteousness “shall be filled.”
“Blessed are the merciful.” Matthew 5:7. To be merciful is to treat
others better than they deserve. So God has treated us. He delights to
show mercy. He is kind to the unthankful and to the evil.
So He teaches us to treat one another. He says, “Be ye kind one to
another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s
sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32.
“Blessed are the pure in heart.” Matthew 5:8. God cares more for
what we really are than for what we say we are. He does not care how
beautiful we may look, but He
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wants our hearts pure. Then all our words and actions will be right.
King David prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.” “Let
the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable
in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer.” Psalm 51:10;
19:14. This should be our prayer.
“Blessed are the peacemakers.” Matthew 5:9. He who has the
meek and lowly spirit of Christ will be a peacemaker. Such a spirit
provokes no quarrel, gives back no angry answer. It makes the home
happy, and brings a sweet peace that blesses all around.
“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.”
Matthew 5:10. Christ knew that for His sake many of His disciples
would be put in prison, and many would be killed. But He told them
not to mourn because of this.
Nothing can harm those who love and follow Christ. He will be
with them in every place. They may be put to death, but He will give
them a life that will never end, and a crown of glory that fadeth not
away.
And from them others will learn about the dear Saviour. Christ
said to His disciples:
“Ye are the light of the world.” Matthew 5:14. Jesus was soon
going away from the world to His heavenly home. But the disciples
were to teach the people of His love. They were to be as lights among
men.
The lamp in the lighthouse, shining out in the darkness, guides the
ship safely to the harbor; thus Christ’s followers are to shine in this
dark world, to guide men to Christ and the heavenly home.
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This is what all the followers of Christ are to do. He calls them to
work with Him in saving others.
Such lessons were strange and new to Christ’s hearers, and He
repeated them many times. At one time a lawyer came to Him with
the question: “Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus
said unto him, “What is written in the law? how readest thou?
“And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all
thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.
“Thou hast answered right,” said Christ; “this do and thou shalt
live.” The lawyer had not done this. He knew that he had not loved
others as himself. Instead of repenting, he tried to find an excuse for
his selfishness. So he asked Jesus: “Who is my neighbor?” Luke
10:25-29.
The priests and rabbis often disputed about this question. They did
not call the poor and ignorant their neighbors, and would show them
no kindness. Christ took no part in their disputes; He answered the
question by a story about something that had happened a short time
before.
A certain man, He said, was going down from Jerusalem to
Jericho. The road was steep and rocky, and passed through a wild,
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lonely region. Here the man was seized by robbers, and stripped of all
that he had. He was beaten and bruised, and left for dead.
As he lay thus, a priest and then a Levite from the temple at
Jerusalem came that way. But instead of helping the poor m
