Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. (ESV)
The Lord Jesus has something to say about the insatiable hunger of the human heart:
1. The nature of the righteousness we are to hunger after.
It means:
a. Giving to God and your neighbour what is their due, namely to love them.
b. To be a good man and women in God’s sense.
The best way is to understand what Jesus meant by the word ‘righteousness’.
There are eight beatitudes, the first and last giving the promise: ‘theirs is the kingdom of heaven’.
First and second groups of four end with the mentioning of ‘righteousness’.
After hunger and satisfaction in verse 6 follows verses 7 to 10: The Merciful and pure in heart who gets persecuted for their righteousness.
Righteousness is that with which we have been filled Mercy, Purity and Peace-making.
It is a righteousness that exceeds that of the Scribes and the Pharisees.
If you hunger and thirst after righteousness we shall be satisfied.
2. The nature off the hunger and thirst that the righteous have.
a. It’s astonished by reality, like a child hearing a real tale, not a fairy-tale.
b. There’s a longing for reality, longing for heaven without withdrawing from the world.
The hunger and thirst is for God’s righteousness.
The Lord Jesus Christ will turn away people (Mat. 7:22-23) because they did not hunger and thirst after God’s righteousness, denying its power. They will not be satisfied – neither in this life not the next.
Make it your satisfaction to do great acts of righteousness for God’s kingdom.