Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
When Jesus said that those who mourn are happy people (Matt. 5:4), He shocked everybody. As Luke reports the statement, he has Jesus saying, "Happy are you who weep now; you will laugh!" (Luke 6:21, Good News Bible).
It may not appear on the surface to be true, but like many things that Jesus says, there is a profound reality involved. When you shed tears in mourning, if you believe the gospel, you are in fact realizing a point of intimate contact with Christ, the Son of God.
The secret is revealed in 1 Peter 4:13 which says, "Rejoice to the extent that you partaker of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy." That is something to rejoice over! That's a dividend that will continue to pay you throughout eternity! It makes you a prince or princess in the realm of the kingdom of God, for Paul says in Colossians 1:24 that you can rejoice for you "fill up ... what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ." Think of it--intimate fellowship with the Son of God!
But the second reason why Jesus said those who mourn and weep are "happy" is that when you realize your sinfulness apart from Him, then you can appreciate the gift of His righteousness. When David sinned in unfaithfulness and murder, he knew bitter tears of deep repentance (see Psalms 32 and 51). But at last he knew who he was--a sinner; he had discovered reality; his feet were on solid rock at last; and that became the foundation for genuine happiness.
As long as we are self-deceived into imagining our goodness, which is not reality, we can never be truly happy. When Jesus said "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32) He meant two great truths: the truth about ourselves, how unworthy we are, and the greater truth about Him, our Savior 100 percent. When that truth dawns upon your consciousness, you can't help but be happy--forever.
--Robert J. Wieland
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: April 19, 1998.
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