Beatitudes

Matthew 5:40 is part of the "Sermon on the Mount," and represents some very interesting stuff. Just this past Sunday I learned that the verb forms in Matthew 5:1-11 are in the indicative rather than the imperative. I'm a complete dunce with grammar, but Wikipedia says it "describes the relationship of a verb with reality and intent."

• The indicative mood is used in factual statements.
• The imperative mood expresses commands, direct requests, and prohibitions.
  

The point the pastor was making last Sunday was that the opening beatitudes are not commands to do, but rather statements of what is true.

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There is a view that is gaining currency that Jesus was not speaking of the afterlife so much as he was speaking of the present life. The "Kingdom of God" is not just some place we go after we die, but rather also a way we can life in the here-and-now with God's presence increasingly in our lives. I'm seeing this thought-thread pop up all over the place. In that context, the beatitudes seem to be saying: "The Kingdom of God is all around us, but most don't realize it because they're prideful and arrogant. The poor in spirit, meek and merciful people are the ones whose hearts are more inclined to see God all about us and take Him in. And by so doing, increasingly live in the presence of God, which is "heaven" in this life.

Your "treat others as you'd have others treat you" dictum maps into this, provided the notion implied in that was sincere and thoroughly baked into one's heart. Treating others kindly, but through gritted teeth of seething resentment, isn't what Jesus was getting at ... if I can extend the concept of the beatitudes out and put it in the context of all the other things Jesus said, particularly about the Pharisees and the way their externals didn't match their internals.

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I admire your continuing to pay child support and for paying extra for E. It is the right thing to do on the purely practical and tactical level -- doing so minimizes the risk A will become upset and demand K back. But it's also the right thing to do at the human level. A is a deeply broken person. You are operating out of a posture of kindness and generosity, not vindicativeness or malice.

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You are managing an incredibly fragile situation there ... I pray you continue to find ways to keep all parties at peace and you get to keep K at home, where you can nurture her.

You're a good man, Mr. deep.thought.