Are you happy or blessed?

Words to Live By: Part 1 Matthew 5:3-12 In Jesus’ most famous sermon (the Sermon on the Mount), the first section is called the Beatitudes. Some people might be tempted to look at this as a list of exchanges, “if you do this, you’ll have this.” But Jesus is actually giving us a visual of what a Christian life should look like. While it may seem discouraging to measure yourself against this list of attributes, it’s meant to give us a picture of the areas for us to grow in as we follow Jesus. Read through the beatitudes and ask God to show you areas in your life that He wants you to grow in as you follow Jesus.  Do you need to grow in showing mercy? Do you need to increase your desire for living rightly before God? Do you need to work to develop peace in your relationships? Do you need to be bolder in your faith? Discuss with a friend this week as you read through these verses.