Come In, Lord. Come In.

The Sermon on the Mount was always a set that left me astounded as a child. The first time Dad attempted to drill that into me, I wasn't even a grade schooler yet - I was about three or four years old? By then, I had already memorized Psalm 23 and Psalm 91 by heart and "The Ten Commandments" of course. As far as I was concerned, they were just poetic mumbo-jumbo that I needed to be able to recite at a moment's notice if I didn't want a long telling-to from the pillar of the family.

As I grew older and began to understand, how I looked at the Sermon on the Mount changed. In grade school, it became an ideal set of standards that I must achieve if I ever want a "Well done, my good and faithful servant" from my Lord. But I didn't have a personal relationship with God yet, back then.

In high school, I was beginning to become a bit more realistic. For me, the Sermon on the Mount was a standard that kids like me could look up to, but not necessarily achieve. But, for those in positions of authority? You can't not have achieved them. Otherwise, you should leave the seat of power that has been entrusted to you. But as the years melted away, I began to see that even that was unrealistic by itself.

So in college? I left that possibility with men and women of God - pastors, ministers and priests. Surely, they would be able to meet the standards set by the Sermon on the Mount! I opened my heart to God in college, only to realize later on that even so-called men and women of God fall prey to apathy, mediocrity, corruption and greed.

And today? I'd like to believe that I've grown up, even just a little bit. And, I've realized this - I was never entirely right, but I was never entirely wrong either. Yes, the Sermon on the Mount is indeed a set of standards. Yes, it is something that should be aspired by young and old alike. And yes, of all the people on this earth, people of authority and men and women of the church should be role models on how the Sermon on the Mount should be lived. But, we have to start from the beginning; it needs to start with God.

It needs to start with God.

We, of course, need to start with the right understanding. The Sermon on the Mount is meant to look impossible because they are impossible by just our own strength. They were meant that way that we may understand that what this world needs are men and women  -

• who understand that they are poor before a limitless God,
• who understand that they have never really understood comfort outside the arms of He who gave His life for us,
• who understand that no matter how good the world says they are, what they are and what they are capable of is nothing when set against eternity,
• who understand that righteousness is something that their very soul must yearn for before they can be filled with it,
• who understand that mercy is not something deserved but something given out,
• who understand that pureness of heart, like that of a child, is not something to be ridiculed, but to be admired,
• who understand that seeking peace and fighting for it are equally hard and equally necessary,
• who understand that persecution in the name of what is right is the highest form of accolade, higher than any medal, trophy or crown this world can bestow.

So, come in, Lord... Come in. It needs to start with You.