The Christmas story is full of unexpected moments where God is revealed in unexpected moments to unexpected people. Shepherds. Teenage girls. Wise ones from afar. Again and again, God-with-Us is revealed, not in solidarity with the powerful and mighty, but hidden among the the humble and marginalized. Lutheran pastor and writer Nadia Bolz-Weber wrote a modern version of the beatitudes, the familiar passage of scripture where Jesus sums up what it means for the reign of God to be more fully revealed to us. Bolz-Weber's version, linked in the 2 minute video below, shows us that Jesus embodies God's love for overturning our expectations about power and blessing.

Blessed are the agnostics.

Blessed are they who doubt, who aren’t sure, who can still be surprised.

Blessed are those who are spiritually impoverished and therefore not so certain about everything that they no longer take in new information.

Blessed are those who have nothing to offer.

Blessed are the pre-schoolers who cut in line at communion.

Blessed are the poor in spirit.

Blessed are they for whom death is not an abstraction.

Blessed are they who’ve buried their loved ones, for whom tears could fill an ocean.

Blessed are they who’ve loved enough to know what loss feels like.

Blessed are the mothers of the miscarried.

Blessed are they who don’t have the luxury of taking things for granted any more.

Blessed are they who can’t fall apart because they have to keep it together for everyone else.

Blessed are those who still aren’t over it yet.

Blessed are those who mourn.

Blessed are those who no one else notices: the kids who sit alone at middle school lunch tables, the laundry guys at the hospital, the sex workers, and the nightshift street sweepers.

Blessed are the forgotten.

Blessed are the closeted.

Blessed are the unemployed, the unimpressive, the under represented.

Blessed are the teens who have to figure out how to hide the new cuts on their arms.

Blessed are the meek.

Blessed are the wrongly accused, the ones who never catch a break, the ones for whom life is hard, for Jesus chose to surround himself with people like you.

Blessed are those without documentation.

Blessed are the ones without lobbyists.

Blessed are foster kids and special ed kids and every other kid who just wants to feel safe and loved.

Blessed are those that make terrible business decisions for the sake of people.

Blessed are the burned out social workers and the overworked teachers and the pro bono case takers.

Blessed are kind-hearted football players and fundraising trophy wives.

Blessed are kids who step between the bullies and the weak.

Blessed are those who hear they’re forgiven.

Blessed are the merciful, for they totally get it.

You are of heaven and Jesus blesses you.

—Nadia Bolz-Weber

Image used with permission from the artist, Scott Erickson.

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