You've Got the Good Life if you...
Flipping my idea of what the good life is to match Jesus's
An underutilized resource for Bible study is The Bible Project podcast. A lot of people know about their videos, which are great, but my favorite way to spend a car ride is listening to Jon Collins make Tim Mackie use more words, smaller words, or non-religious words to help him understand what a word in the Bible really means. In 2024 they are honing in super close on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. I recommend the whole series, but the episode “What Does Blessed Mean” can stand alone.
In the episode, Tim and other scholars teach about the word our English Bibles translate blessed or happy. It’s the Greek work makarios, and the Hebrew word is ashrey. It’s a word that many people, not just Jesus, used at the time to describe what they thought was “the good life.” If we turned the American Dream into a beatitude using this formula, we might say, “the good life is the American with disposable income, because he can spend and make more money.” As someone who follows a lot of food bloggers on Instagram, I might say, “the good life is for those who can shop at Whole Foods, because they will eat the highest quality organic produce.”
Those are obviously just opinions, but that’s how that word was used in Jesus’ day. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was not saying, “may the poor in Spirit receive God’s blessing.” Nor was he saying, “if you’re poor in Spirit, you’ll receive God’s blessing.” Jesus was saying, “you’ve got the good life if you’re powerless (lacking in energy, influence), because the kingdom of God is for you.”
Some of the things I learned from this episode rocked my world. In response, I’ve written a few lines of my own beatitudes. I shared some of them in notes recently, and now I’m sharing them here.
The good life is for the average and below average, because they are not loved for what they do.
The good life is for those who are anxious because they will consider the lilies and ravens and receive peace from God.
The good life is for those who don't know what to do, or how to fix it, because they will look to God.
The good life is for those who feel overwhelmed, because they will rest in God.
The good life is for those who are worn out from serving, because their reward is heaven.
The good life is for the renters who live where they serve, because their mansion is in the skies.
The good life is for the language and culture learners searching for belonging, because they will find their identity in Christ.
The good life is for the politically homeless, because their kingdom is not of this world.
The good life is for the inexperienced, because they will ask for wisdom, and God will always give it.
The good life is being a parent or teacher, because they will influence the next generation.
The good life is for those with lots of paperwork and hoops to jump through, because they will see God’s power and faithfulness.
The good life is being disappointed, let down, and betrayed by other believers, because God will defend you.
Since listening to the podcast, I reflect on my hard circumstances and look for God’s promises to me that apply. In other words, I say to myself, “this terrible thing is the good life because I am experiencing God’s promises to me in the midst of it.”
I say to myself, “this terrible thing is the good life because I am experiencing God’s promise to me in the midst of it.”
And friends, that has made a big difference in how I experience hard things.
some confetti
:: I am in a reading slump. This happens sometimes, and stress usually plays a role, because I read when I’m happy. Reading is not usually one of my BEEPS. I’ve been reading short Substack pieces, listening to podcasts, and doomscrolling.
:: In other words, I’ve been letting holds expire while I making my way through Judy Blume’s In the Unlikely Event (which I am enjoying; will report back).
:: One of the few English magazines we can get in Europe is Time. I enjoyed the balanced take from Jewish writer Noah Feldman in “The New Antisemitism.”
:: Last month I read While You Were Out: An Intimate Family Portrait of Mental Illness in an Era of Silence and gave it five stars. Especially if you love memoirs, check it out.
shop & empower
:: I can’t get enough of the lovely spring vibes of the March lookbook pieces at Trades of Hope. I’m thinking of reviving my business, but I’d need some party hosts. Would you be interested in getting any of these pieces for free by hosting a popup online? Let me know!
some inspiration
Here are the Beatitudes from Eugene Peterson’s The Message:
3 “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
4 “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
5 “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.
6 “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.
7 “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.
8 “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
9 “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.
10 “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.
I liked this. Thank you Rose :-)