God will meet us in our brokenness.
Have you ever been called a loser? Perhaps it was a jeer from the schoolyard bully. Maybe it was just the thing you feared being labeled. I think that one of the greatest human fears is that “beneath all my veneer, maybe I’m just a loser” (especially those who played the role of the schoolyard bully). Regardless of whether the word was spoken about you or within you, loser is a powerful word.
Jesus’ opening words in Matthew 5 flip that word upside down. Jesus begins his most famous sermon by pronouncing blessing on the most unexpected people. He begins by blessing the losers.
This text isn’t telling us to become losers so God will bless us. It’s promising that God will meet us in our brokenness. It’s a jolting start to a powerful sermon.
The Sermon on the Mount (recorded in Matthew 5-7) is Jesus’ most famous sermon. Many non-Christians have referred to it as one of the greatest moral teachings of all time (Mahatma Gandhi read from it daily as a part of his meditation practice). For Christians, this sermon is more than merely wise words, or powerful ethical teaching, it’s our King’s proclamation of his kingdom.
Right from the start, Jesus shakes things up by saying that losers will be right at home in His kingdom. He also hints that the lives of those who follow Him will look like His (though they show mercy and make peace, they will be persecuted). The good news is that God loves losers like Jesus (who loved the world and had nothing to show for it but a cross).
