Happy are the Sad (Matthew 5:4)1. Happy MournersHow could Jesus say blessed are those who mourn? It seems to be a contradiction to say that those who mourn will be incredibly happy. However, we have to understand the reason why Christians would mourn. Christians are meant to be the happiest people on earth. This is the happiness that the beatitudes promise. The Greek word for mourn means exactly that, the emotion we experience when someone very close to us has died. How then does mourning fit in with happiness? Is this verse saying "happy are the unhappy?" One reason that Christians mourn is because we are deeply saddened by the suffering and evil, wickedness and oppression all around us. However, that is not a hopeless mourning. It is a grief coupled with understanding that the kingdom of heaven has already begun in the hearts of men, and that the answer to all of the world's problems is being worked out according to the heavenly agenda of God's great master plan. 2. Worldly HappinessWhen Jesus said, blessed are they that mourn, we can assume that Christianity is a sad religion. What does the world call happiness? Laughter over filth is very common. But sin does not promise a truly gay lifestyle and mirth is only a temporary surface emotion often disguising deep-seated unhappiness within. When Christians mourn, it is with profound hope and happiness that God will alleviate the world's suffering in his own due time. We must be careful, because we too can be fooled by the evil all around. Western materialism does deceive us. Yet it is wealthy nations which are often the ones with the most failed marriages, constant worries and highest percentages of crimes of violence. Who is really more cursed? We Christians are challenged to see beyond the materialistic illusions and resulting distresses of this world and put our hope in the eternal relief of the kingdom of God. 3. True HappinessWhen Jesus said, happy are they that mourn, he implied that God will comfort mourners. This fulfills a promise from Isaiah 61:2 where those who mourn are promised comfort. Christians recognize that God is the only source of permanent happiness, and not any of the fake resources foisted upon us by empty religion and worldly values. The apostle Paul wrote more about joy in his letter to the Philippians than any other letter, and he wrote that letter from jail. What kind of comfort can Christians have in a world of suffering and oppression? Lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride are pointless ways to happiness. The promises of politicians, religious counterfeits and business advertising are meaningless. We grieve for this world, because we are not deceived by it. God is the only source of true happiness, and those who grieve over the fake happiness offered by the world, and who focus on the only permanent source are indeed happy. When we are not deluded by phony, temporary pleasures, we understand the permanent, eternal happiness promised in the kingdom of heaven.
4. RegretsPeople commonly say, "I've got no regrets." The implication is that to have regrets is unhealthy. Yet, the exact opposite is true. Those who don't lament bad behavior which caused them and others so much unhappiness are more likely to repeat it. We have all sinned. Therefore those who truly have no regrets are stuck in a lifestyle that causes unhappiness. Jesus said blessed are they that mourn. Repentance includes mourning. When we are repentant about past bad behavior we are less likely to repeat it. That doesn't mean that we wallow in self pity. It means that we experience a change of heart and do not wish to repeat the same sins. Therefore it is those who do have regrets, who mourn past mistakes and want to change, that are truly happy. |
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