Next in our list Jesus teaches that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness will be filled. Clearly, when taken within the context of the whole gospel, or even within the context of this chapter (Matthew 5), Jesus is not talking about the self-righteousness of the religious establishment. This is not an invitation to try to live out the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount and then wear them as some kind of self-righteous badge of achievement.
Jesus is talking here about people who passionately desire righteousness - in the same way that you are passionate about eating and drinking when you are hungry and thirsty. This will include a desire to see justice done in the world - that individuals, corporations and nations do the right thing, not just the quickest, easiest or cheapest thing.
It will also involve a personal element - the desire for personal ethical righteousness and a separation from sin. This is something that can't be achieved in our own strength. We need God's help through the Holy Spirit working in our lives. We need God's forgiveness for sin and His empowerment to live the kind of life the Jesus is outlining for us here.
The righteousness that Jesus talks of is only possible after God has dealt with my failings. Rather than treat me as my sin deserves I can know forgiveness through Jesus' death - this is the mercy of God - not giving me what I deserve. And having experienced the mercy of God, Jesus commands his disciples to show that kind of mercy to others - blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy (Matthew 5:7)...or does he?
Jesus' teaching here on mercy and elsewhere on forgiveness (e.g. Matthew 6:14-15) is not that because we have experienced mercy/forgiveness we should be merciful/forgiving (although that is true). Rather it is the other way around - if you show mercy/forgiveness then you will experience mercy/forgiveness.
A true disciple will be merciful - that is they will treat people in a way that they don't necessarily deserve. They won't look for revenge. They won't exclude people because of some offence. They won't pay back evil for evil. Instead they will assume the best and not the worst. They will give the benefit of the doubt. They will continue to show love and kindness even when those actions have been stamped on and abused in the past. They won't just give a second chance or even a third chance - instead they won't be counting or keeping a record of wrongs.
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