Be Happy Attitudes Part 3 Background: The “Beatitudes” represent the introduction of the Sermon on the Mount (28-30 AD), the first, formal teaching of Jesus with his followers. In these short, powerful, poetic verses, Jesus topples the traditional thinking of his day (and ours), by showing us how opposite the Kingdom of Heaven is from the Kingdom of Earth. Matthew 5:1-12 (NIV) Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said: 
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 
Happy Attitude #7: Be a peacemaker, not a piece maker Peacemakers… don’t just manage conflict (reactive), they create wholeness (proactive) 
What do I need to begin doing to be more of a peacemaker? What do I need to stop doing to be more of a peacemaker? Summary: Peacemakers reflect their family’s image… (God sent Jesus to make us whole, and repair the conflict and separation we had with Him; to make peace with our Creator) Happy Attitude #8: Happy are the persecuted? C’mon, where’s the catch? Human nature tends to reject (attack, alienate) those different. When we follow God, we become different than those without God, triggering a natural defense mechanism (fear).
 If we do NOT experience some pushback, we should wonder if we are truly different?
 Jesus repeats this single beatitude and even personalizes it (“they” to “you”), perhaps because it’s a tough reality to swallow (or at least to prepare us for it)
 Just make sure the World’s rejection, is truly because you’re seeking the right-use-ness of your life, and NOT poor people skills or low emotional intelligence. SPECIAL BONUS: Salt and Light (Matthew 5:13-15) 13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. The Beatitudes show us who we are becoming in Christ.
Salt and light show us what we are here to do. The world isn’t transformed by louder opinions—but by transformed people living visibly, humbly, and faithfully in everyday life. Reflection (souvenir): What’s your takeaway from this series? Which of the beatitudes is God seeking you to emphasize this time in your life? What can you tangibly do today and this week to let God develop these in your life?