As you can see, I am not planning to take a "book club" approach to my reading reflections. I'm not planning to reflect on every chapter of every book, but only on statements and lessons that I find particularly moving and beneficial.
In chapter six of his book, Yancey has a great discussion on the Beatitudes that Jesus uttered in his Sermon on the Mount. Yancey concludes that the Beatitudes really speak on three levels: they are (1) dangled promises; (2) a "great reversal" which challenges worldly values; and (3) a psychological reality for those who adopt their way of life (Yancey mentions Henri Nouwen as an example of this principle, who is another author that I would like to read sometime).
Yancey concludes by writing the following: "When I first heard the Beatitudes, they sounded to me like impossible ideals given by some dreamy mystic. Now, though, I see them as truths proclaimed by a realist...Jesus knew how life works, in the kingdom of heaven as well as the kingdom of this world. In a life characterized by poverty, mourning, meekness, a hunger for righteousness, mercy, purity, peacemaking, and persecution, Jesus himself embodied the Beatitudes" (p. 126).
Yancey's observation is a helpful corrective against the temptation to view statements like these from Jesus as being little more than zealous exaggeration--i.e. that Jesus doesn't mean what he says, he is simply exaggerating for effect. But Jesus' life tells a different story--not only does he mean what he says, but he lives it out too. What a challenging example to follow, but what a rewarding path to tread!
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