Looking around at the world we live in today we see so much immorality, wickedness and deceit. It’s everywhere we go and seems impossible to escape. With the world’s ethics progressively plummeting I crave any sign of goodness. Any hope for justice, integrity or righteousness. Even with all the depravity of this temporary, deteriorating world, we do have a righteous God that is still in control. Kind and noble people still exist, even when Satan wants us to become discouraged. Although, don’t get me wrong, evil is still out there and is seeking to overcome God’s children.
In this beatitude, we find the beautiful blessing of those who search for righteousness. Let’s break down some of the words in this beatitude.
Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
In this passage, “hunger” means to desire earnestly, crave or thirst. “Righteousness” can be defined as “to be right with God and upright and moral in spirit.” Lastly, “filled” can be described as being satisfied. When we are earnestly craving to live an upright life and are right in our relationship with God, we can find satisfaction. Not satisfaction in our circumstances or the world around us, but because we know that God has our worries, longings, tears and pain in His hands. We can find fulfillment in Him. He sees and He is taking care of it. He sees your desire to pursue righteousness, and He is blessing you with His peace because you know no matter what happens, He wins in the end. Evil may seem like it is overcoming any sign of goodness now, but one day it will be crushed and defeated forever.
We as Christians should be seeking after what is moral and honorable in God’s sight. We should be desiring to honor God and possess qualities that would exemplify God. Sadly, many Christians in today’s society don’t live any differently than the rest of the world. Nobody would know there’s a difference. We weren’t called to blend in, but be set apart.
John 15:18-19
If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.
We as Christians should be living a life that is seeking to glorify God in what we do and say. Others should see a difference in us. Jesus informed us that we will be hated by others who oppose His ways. It’s not a possibility, it will occur if we truly stand up for what we believe and hold fast to the truth. While the world around us may be engrossed in corruption and deceit, we should firmly remain focused on God, knowing He will seek ultimate justice and remains in control.
We as Christians know we are forgiven by God, but we also know how far we are from perfection, so we should be continually maturing our faith and growing in our walk with God. When we hunger and thirst for righteousness, we are craving for what is true, right and just. We are seeking the truth and not participating or tolerating immorality. While God accepts us when we admit our need for a Savior, it doesn’t give us any more value over others. No one is righteous, so we shouldn’t be comparing our lives with others and setting our own expectations of righteousness. It’s God’s place to judge; He is the only One that can see the heart. Even the greatest of Christians can fall into sin and live foolishly. Being a Christian doesn’t make us more qualified or grant us special privileges. We all sin and all still are in need of a Savior to cover the cost for our sins.
In this passage, the seeking, hungering and thirsting for righteousness isn’t passive, but is an active and continual desire and longing. We should crave to deepen our relationship with God and serve others. This is a pursuit of holiness rather than seeking fleshly desires. Our daily lives depend on food and water to sustain us. We too should be placing that same dependence on God in our Spiritual relationship. When we are hungry or thirsty, our every thought is occupied by our need for food or water. When we look around and see the deception, evil and wickedness of this world it can consume us and place a longing in us for justice and righteousness.
When we focus on this world and become blinded to the advertisements for success, happiness and fame, it can greatly leave us with a longing heart, still searching and craving for it to be fed and quenched with something more fulfilling. I’ve grown weary in trying to live an upright life in such a backwards world. I struggle with the perceptions and acceptance of this world, and it never leaves me satisfied for very long. God is the only thing that will satisfy our longing hearts. He is the only One who can quench our thirst or fill our emptiness with hope and long-lasting peace.
Psalm 107:8-9
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
No matter how much righteousness is shunned in today’s world, please remember that it is something so greatly admirable to your Creator. He won’t overlook the effort it took to remain faithful and obedient to Him in a world that despises anything associating with Him and His Word. You will be rewarded and blessed for your commitment to Him, even when everything around you seems so twisted. It is so encouraging to know that no matter how crazy this world is getting and all that is happening in today’s society, God wins. He not only wins, He defeats evil entirely. Righteousness will no longer be perceived as a weakness, and will be greatly rewarded and valued. We will reap our blessings of obedience. Justice will be served and all immorality will be forever vanquished. What a glorious day that will be, I can hardly wait!