Blessed are who?

One of my favorite parts of every week is Wednesday night. Every week here at Wesley the students who live on campus have what we call Open Room. It's a student-led discussion of any topic the leader for the week feels like discussing, usually with some sort of faith-related bent. We've talked about epic movies, economics, and the Wizard of Oz. We've talked about prisons and church buildings. While we discuss, we share bread and wine; it's not consecrated Communion, but it's communion for us. Afterward we head to McDonald's for fries or shakes or, every once in a while, the 20 piece chicken nugget deal.

This week the topic was the Beatitudes (listed below) and instead of discussing we spent the majority of the hour cutting out words and pictures and pasting them to the poster boards for each blessing. Totally my kind of night.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely^* on my account. ¹²Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:3-12, NRSV)


It was interesting to see the words and pictures people chose for each one. Personally, I spent most of my time at "Blessed are the peacemakers." But the most thought-provoking Beatitude interpretation of the night was, by far, a picture someone pasted on "Blessed are you when people revile you on my account." It wasn't a church or a cross or a middle-class white person praying and looking sad. It wasn't even a missionary in some deep, dark jungle. It was a Muslim.

A Muslim?

Yep. On purpose. At first it was jarring. Confusing. And then it hit you, looking at the words and the picture together.

What if God blesses the people that we as Christians persecute--in the name of God, no less--because they are not Christians? Or the other people who call themselves Christians that we disparage because they don't fit into our little mold (that happens to look quite a bit like us) of what a "good Christian" should be? What if it isn't just about us and our petty little troubles and trials? What if God really cares for every person? (I think it says that somewhere. Can't think where...)

Maybe you think I'm being blasphemous here, but... oh well. Hang out in Luke 15 for a while and get back to me, if that's the case. Here's what I know: I'm not responsible for deciding who's a Christian and who's not. I'm responsible for deciding how I will treat other people. With love.