faith and culture

Jesus’ Beatitudes Still Speak Today

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A serene landscape featuring Jesus teaching a group of followers while sitting on a rock, with a scenic view of mountains and a lake in the background, and a book open in the foreground showing a passage from the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 5:1-16

Following Jesus has always required a certain daring. Imagine being one of his first followers. You’ve just left everything familiar because this teacher spoke with an authority that felt like the very voice of God. You saw him heal what no one else could. You said yes to his call, but now what? What does he expect of you? What will this new life look like?

Matthew 5:1–16, often called the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, answers that question. Jesus draws his disciples out of the crowd and begins describing what life under his reign looks like. Not rules to earn God’s favor, but a picture of the kind of people his grace creates: the people of his kingdom.

Jesus’ descriptions, known as the Beatitudes, run counter to much of what our culture celebrates. Our world often says, “Blessed are the self‑sufficient.” Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” those who know they need God’s salvation. Our world says, “Blessed are the comfortable.” Jesus says, “Blessed are those who mourn,” because they can face grief honestly, knowing loss does not have the final word. Our world says, “Blessed are the winners.” Jesus says, “Blessed are the meek,” those strong enough to trust God rather than grasp for control.

These are only a few examples. I encourage you to read the rest for yourself and consider why these qualities stir something deep within yus. They paint a world we long for, yet they also confront us. We like mercy until someone wrongs us. We like purity of heart until loyalty to Christ costs us something. That tension is why Jesus ends this section with the surprising words, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.”

Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian pastor imprisoned under communism, once witnessed ordinary Christians living these words under extraordinary pressure, responding to humiliation and torture with forgiveness, mercy, and even joy. He realized the Beatitudes are not for spiritual elites but for everyday people whose hearts have been reshaped by Christ.

Many people, whether committed Christians or even atheist, find themselves drawn to the Beatitudes. They describe a world we ache for: mercy instead of outrage, humility instead of self‑promotion, and much more. If these words stir something in you, consider why. Their power doesn’t come from sentiment but from the authority of the One who speaks them.

I invite you to open a Bible and read Matthew 5:1–16 for yourself. Listen to Jesus’ voice. Ask why his vision of life still reaches across centuries and cultures. You may find that what draws you is not just an idea, but a Person, who is God’s Son.

It’s easy to try to outrun God

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Genesis 16

This piece begins a four‑part series exploring the story of Genesis 16 and what it reveals about God and the human heart.

God makes sweeping promises in Scripture: promises to prosper his people, to give them hope and a future, and more. But these promises begin small, like a seed. In Genesis, these promises begin with two people: Abram and Sarai. Everything God intends to do, make them a great nation, giving them a new land, and bless them richly, depends on one thing Abram and Sarai don’t have: a son. You may be surprised to know that all these promises are carried over into the New Testament, but not as a seed any longer but a mighty tree.

The lack of a son to Abram and Saria help explain their actions in Genesis 16. And it’s a problem that’s theological, psychological, and social all at once.

Theologically, God promised a great nation through Abram’s offspring. No son means no nation. Psychologically, Abram and Sarai longed for a child. Many today know that ache. Socially, Sarai lived in a world where a woman’s worth was tied to her ability to “build up” a family (Genesis 16:2). That pressure crushed her. It whispered that she was less-than, broken, inferior.

We may not live in her world, but we know that whisper. Every culture has its own way of telling us we’re not enough. One culture says, “You’re nothing without children.” Another says, “You’re nothing without a career.” Both fuel feelings of inferiority.

So Sarai, feeling worthless, looks for a shortcut. She turns to Hagar, her Egyptian servant, and proposes a solution that was perfectly acceptable in Canaanite culture, but not in God’s design for human flourishing. She offers her servant to Abram as a wife. Abram, instead of praying or waiting, simply “listened to the voice of Sarai” (Genesis 16:2). That’s Genesis-language for listening to a voice that, at least at that moment spoke contrary to God, rather than listening to the voice of God.

It’s easy to judge them, but we do the same. We rush ahead when God tells us to wait. We bend rules when we want something badly enough. We try to outrun God, and in doing so, we cut him out.

Genesis 16 invites us to see ourselves in Abram and Sarai. Their problem is our problem: Will we trust God to make good on his promises, or will we try to force them? Will we let God be God, or will we take matters into our own hands?

If you’ve never read this story, open a Bible this week and sit with Genesis 16:1–3. You may find your own reflection staring back. Next article we’ll evaluate the outcome of Sarai and Abram’s plan.  

What’s Worth Your Head Space? Deep Roots, Part 5

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Philippians 4:1-9

Before Paul offers any practical help for anxiety or fractured relationships, he anchors everything with one call: “Stand firm in the Lord” (Philippians 4:1). Last time we explored the practical discipline of reasonableness; now we turn to the battlefield of the mind

In a world overflowing with noise, the Apostle Paul offers a gentle but firm invitation: think about what is worthy of your thinking. The Greek word he uses in Philippians 4:8 carries the sense of accounting, stacking up what is praiseworthy, noble, pure, and lovely. It’s not just about positive thinking; it’s about intentional thinking. What we dwell on shapes who we become.

So count what’s true. Not the half-truths or fear-driven headlines, but the enduring truths of God’s Word. Count what’s noble, worthy of respect and admiration. Count what’s pure, untainted by hidden agendas. Count what’s lovely, beauty that stirs the soul such as a child’s hug, a lake shimmering in sunlight, a melody that lifts the heart, Jesus’ life laid down at the cross for yours.

And count what’s praiseworthy in others. When was the last time you encouraged a fellow believer by saying, “I just love the way I see the Lord at work in you when…”? In a culture quick to critique and slow to affirm, Christians are called to be discerning, not cynical but Spirit-led. Not every news story deserves your attention. Not every social media post needs your engagement. Not every demand is yours to meet. Make your thoughts captive to Christ.

This isn’t easy. That’s why Paul reminds us earlier in his letter: “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you…” (Phil. 2:12–13). We’re not left to do this alone. God is at work in us, shaping our desires and strengthening our resolve. But we do have a part to play.

Pray daily. Read Scripture. Mend broken relationships. Seek help when needed. Be reasonable. Take your requests to God. And above of this, focus your thoughts on what is worthy. Let your mind dwell where Christ reigns, and your outlook on life will follow.

In a world that clamors for your attention, choose what’s worth your head space. Choose what’s true, beautiful, and eternal. In two words: choose Christ.

Rethinking a Friend’s Passionate Calling

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Have you ever been chatting over coffee when the conversation suddenly shifts to faith? It can feel like an unexpected curveball in an otherwise lighthearted talk. Many of us treat religion as a private matter – an optional, much like choosing our favorite ice cream flavor. Chocolate for me, mint for you; no harm done.

But for those who follow Christ, faith isn’t merely a preference. It’s more like the vital medicine needed to cure a life-threatening illness. Picture yourself before a medicine cabinet, anxiously searching for the one pill that can truly cure you. That’s how many Christians view their relationship with Jesus – the single cure for a broken world. Sharing that hope isn’t pestering; it’s an act of love.

This conviction runs deep. From the earliest days of the church, believers spoke of Jesus’ death and resurrection not as private opinions but as real, world-changing events (e.g., Acts 3:11-26). They insisted that denying the resurrection was tantamount to denying life itself (1 Corinthians 15). Their courage sprang from the certainty that their message would endure far beyond this world (Acts 4:18-22).

So if your Christian friend seems persistently eager to talk about faith, they’re likely not trying to win an argument but to open a door (Revelation 3:20). They hope to invite you into a conversation that could reshape your life (1 John 5:13). Next time faith surfaces in your chat, pause and consider: What if this is more than small talk? What paths to hope might honest dialogue uncover?

Many ask whether Christianity is helpful. But usefulness presumes truth. It’s like shrugging off a friend’s advice – only to discover later it was exactly what you needed. Perhaps a better starting point is asking, “Is Christianity true?” If it is, its benefits naturally follow.

Understanding begins with listening, and every dialogue enriches our perspective. Thanks for listening. I’d love to hear your thoughts and questions too.

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