Job description

After Matthew 5:1-10

 

Thank you, sir,

thank you, ma’am,

for your application.

I’d like to provide 

a little detail on what

we mean by “Wanted:

Disciple.”

 

Qualifications include:

poverty in spirit,

an ability to mourn,

meekness,

a hunger and thirst

for righteousness,

mercifulness,

purity in heart,

peacemaking, and

an expectation 

of being persecuted.

 

Not the usual job

qualifications, I admit,

a bit unusual, slightly

eccentric, and not

exactly the qualities

of A-type personalities.

Or even B-types,

for that matter.

 

But then, there are

the benefits. Not a 401K,

medical, dental, vacation,

stock options, or pension.

No, these are unlike

any you’ve ever seen

or even heard about.

In fact, you might call

them eternal benefits:

 

the kingdom of heaven,

comfort when you mourn,

inheritance of the earth,

satisfaction for hunger,

mercy,

seeing the face of God,

being called God’s sons, 

and let me repeat,

the kingdom of heaven.

 

Still interested?

 

Photograph by Tim Gouw via Unsplash. Used with permission. 

The reading of the will

After Matthew 5:1-10 

It’s like the reading 

of the will and testament, 

the will for the family.

 

The poor in spirit, who

know they are in need,

receive the kingdom.

The mourners, for

whatever reason, receive

comfort and embrace.

The meek, the gentle ones,

inherit the earth.

The hungry, the ones who

know righteousness does

not come from within,

will be filled.

The merciful, who show

mercy and compassion,

are granted mercy.

The pure in heart, who

seek to purify their lives

fully and completely, 

will see God.

The peacemakers, who

seek God’s peace, not

man’s, are named sons

of heaven.

The persecuted, the ones

treated unjustly for what

they believe in faith, who

remain steadfast to the end,

inherit the kingdom.

 

Photograph by Melinda Gimpel via Unsplash. Used with permission.

The spirit said

The spirit said

to the bride come

to those who hear, come

to those who suffer, come

to those who lack, come

to those who show mercy, come

to the meek, come

to the hungry, come

to the pure in heart, come

to the persecuted, come

to the peacemakers, come

to the mourning, come

to the poor in spirit, come

to the sick, come

Come, the spirit said

come, to the tree

the tree of life

Photograph by Lynn Greyling via Public Domain Pictures. Used with permission.