Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness

By Bob Bunn

A while back, a severe ice storm knocked out the power at our house. For almost a week, my wife and I, along with my son and his family, took refuge in a friend’s rental apartment. Once the electricity was restored back home, we had the challenge of figuring out what to do with the food we had left behind in our refrigerator and our freezer.

Unfortunately, very little of what we had could be saved. We were nervous about food that had sat around and thawed over the course of several days. But while we ended up throwing out a lot of food, we never worried about going hungry. We knew that a quick trip to the local grocery or a big box store would be enough to restock everything we had lost.

For many of us, issues like food insecurity and clean water to drink don’t resonate with our daily lives. Our stomachs don’t growl and our throats aren’t dry like others around the world. We have all we need. In fact, we even have options. We get to choose our meals each day.

Still, if we’re honest, we can admit to a hunger and a thirst that take other forms in our lives. For some, it might be a position or a paycheck from a certain workplace. For others, it could be recognition or acceptance from a particular group or club. So even though we don’t suffer from physical hunger or thirst, we do wrestle with proper motivations and drives. We all hunger for something.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus tackled the hunger and thirst we experience head-on. He didn’t condemn the drive to do our best, but He did warn us to be careful. Instead of chasing the things of this world, He challenged His followers to focus their hunger and thirst on kingdom matters. First and foremost, He said, we should pursue righteousness. Above all else, Jesus wants His people to reflect His character in the world.

In the first century, many people did struggle with physical hunger and thirst. But they also had to battle things like social injustice that tipped the scales in favor of the powerful. Those with influence and authority were hungry for all the wrong reasons. They sought their own benefit instead of focusing on a righteous commitment to serving and protecting others.

Jesus said that would never produce true contentment. Rather, ultimate satisfaction is only found in doing what’s right every chance we get. We are called to live the right way, and we are called to challenge the culture to live right. It’s not an easy task, but it brings glory to Jesus and demonstrates His love to those in need.

Take time today to examine the hungers and thirsts in your life. Evaluate what drives your dreams and defines your goals. Determine if you’re genuinely hungering and thirsting for righteousness more than anything else.

Stay hungry and thirsty for kingdom priorities. Jesus said that’s the only way to experience true satisfaction.