What does it Mean to be Blessed?

If you were to ask 100 people in your circles what it means to be "blessed," you’d probably get a pretty consistent list of answers. Most people would say it means being rich enough to buy whatever you want, having the power to get your way, being famous so everyone knows your name, or simply being handed everything without having to work or worry.

We often spend our entire lives chasing these exact things because we assume they are what will make our lives better. But Jesus—the most influential person to ever live, who had all the riches of heaven and the power to create the universe—described a "blessed life" that looks radically different from what culture tells us to chase.

In the first few verses of His most famous message (Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5), Jesus drops some major good news, not just good advice:

The foundation of everything Jesus came on earth to establish is grace, truth, and the simple fact that before you do anything else, you are deeply loved by God.

When Jesus sat down on the mountainside to teach His disciples, He defined who is blessed, actually favored, privileged, and "winning at life":

The Poor in Spirit: These are people who feel far from God, have nothing to offer spiritually, and are completely desperate.

That has been me, has it been you as well?

We see this in action when Jesus called His first disciples, Simon Peter and Andrew. They were regular fishermen who hadn't been chosen by a rabbi to continue their religious education, meaning they were viewed as spiritually poor by society. Yet, Jesus invited them in, giving them a front-row seat to everything He was going to do.

The opposite of a person poor in spirit is the posture of pride, which tells us we have it all together and causes us to miss out on what Jesus wants to do in our lives.

Those Who Mourn: This refers to real grief, pain, and loss—the things that happen to us that never should have happened.

Jesus promises that when you bring your pain to Him, He will bring you comfort.

As Psalm 34 reminds us, the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those crushed in spirit. You are never alone, even in your lowest moments. Jesus says that those who mourn will be comforted.

The Meek: Meekness isn't weakness; it is a quiet strength and power under control. Meek people are strong people because they’ve had to be.

These are people who have been deeply humbled by the hardships, hurts, and mistakes of life. This has been me, has this been you too?

While the world labels them as completely powerless, Jesus says they will inherit a place in God's family.

Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness: If you genuinely desire more of the things of God and want to be closer to Jesus, He will never deny that request. When you come close to God, He comes close to you, and you will be filled.

This entire kingdom runs upside-down compared to our world. Jesus isn't inviting us into a life of material fame, money, or power, but into a life overflowing with God's presence and kindness. He came so that we could experience life to the full.