“On the 8th Day of Christmas My True Love Gave to Me 8 Maids-A-Milking”
Matthew 5:3-10
3 “ Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The 8 Beatitudes are virtues that we should have. Virtue is the practice of moral goodness, abstaining from vice, or a conformity of life and conversation to the moral law (1828 Dictionary, Webster).
The first virtue is to be poor in spirit. Poor in spirit is to be humble. We humble ourselves when we put others first and ourselves last. We also humble ourselves by putting God first, knowing that we have sinned and fall short of His glory. We are not worthy of anything.
The second virtue is to mourn. Once we have humbled ourselves in front of God, we mourn over our actions which have caused us to sin. This leads us to repent and ask forgiveness.
The third virtue is to be meek. Meek also means humble. We know that whatever we have is from God, whatever we accomplish is because of God. We are gentle, mild mannered and praise God for all He has given (or taken away) from us.
The fourth virtue is to hunger and thirst for righteousness. We must long for His word. We are nothing but an empty vessel and only He can fill it.
The fifth virtue is to be merciful. Just as God shows us compassion and forgives us, we to must show compassion and forgive others.
The sixth virtue is to be pure in heart. The Bible instructs us to think on the things that are good and true. By focusing on these things are heart becomes pure because we are no longer thinking or dwelling on things which do not uplift God.
The seventh virtue is to be a peacemaker. By putting others first and not trying to get our way we can stop an argument from occurring. Look for a peaceful solution in all things.
The eighth virtue is to be persecuted for righteousness sake. No one wants to be persecuted but as a follower of Christ you will be hated. You will be looked down upon, but you must keep walking with God. Do not let it get you down; remember we owe Him everything because of what he has done for us.
It is a new year, memorize the Beatitudes and remember what each one means. Try to live up to each virtue and be blessed.
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