When I ready the beatitudes, I used to get a little overwhelmed because I thought I had to be all of those things, meaning I had to be perfect. Now I look at it and realize that what the Lord is saying is how anxious he is to bless us. I think the Lord is also telling us to live righteously, but unless we are treating other people with kindness, our righteousness is of little value. I also like the Greek translation of verse 48. He's not telling us to be perfect, he's telling us to be fully developed spiritually, complete. It's good to remember Romans 3:23-25 when you read this verse: "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Therefore being justified only by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ..." None of us is or will be perfect in this life, but we will still be accepted and approved because the Savior's redemption will make up the difference between where we are and perfection.
I like to cross reference verse 6 and in chapter 6 with Romans 8:26: "Likewise the Spirit helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." When we pray, sometimes the words don't come or don't express what we really feel, but the Spirit expresses them for us. With verses 22-34, I am more and more convinced that when everything is said and done, none of the "things" in this life, our possessions, positions, will have any importance. What will matter will be our relationships with each other and with the Lord.
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Garrett and I have really come to rely on the verses in chapter 6 starting with verse 5, also found in 3 Nephi. We have found that the Lord truly does provide and answer prayers. These verse have brought solace to us many times in the recent months, when financial strain seems to come. We are learning that when we are serving and doing what is right, the Lord will bless us. And most times, we do need to ask, even when He is already aware, we need to ask, so that we can receive.
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