Heavenly Paradoxes

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Matthew 5:5

The Beatitudes of Jesus sound paradoxical. These are, however, the key attributes to realize and embrace the grace of God.

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Matthew 5:3-11

If we are not poor in spirit, we would rely on ourselves only and miss His grace. If we are not mourning, we would miss the taste of His love. If we are not meek but overthinking, we would miss His miracles on earth. If we don’t seek justice but accept anything goes, we would end up with nihilism feeling void.

If we don’t have compassion but interpret our world as a cruel battlefield, we would not trust anyone, even ourselves. If we are not like an innocent child but see everything cynically, we would never have any room in our heart for God. If we don’t seek peace with our efforts, we would miss what God wants and why He loves us even by His sacrifice.

If we don’t suffer for trying and keeping these attributes in this world, then we would never have a chance to realize a glimpse of the kingdom of heaven.

The kingdom of heaven sounds so paradoxical to our ears. How can we inherit the earth by being meek?

Being meek is becoming like water. Feeling the flow, we are in harmony with heaven and earth. Our ego-driven stiffness and resistance would disappear. We see how His miracles could work on earth and in heaven, even in ourselves. We are nobody but Christ. That is why Paul said.

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Philippians 1:21

Indeed, to die is gain. We inherit the earth and see the kingdom of heaven.

Lao Tzu describes water as follows.

Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong.

Lao Tzu

What is soft is strong. What is weak is strong. It is a heavenly paradox.

Paul also said as follows.

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

When we are weak, then we are strong.

Image by Pexels