Editorial August 30, 1982 Issue

Upon seeing the multitudes

BEULAH M. ROEGGE

"And seeing the multitudes," the gospel writer introduces Christ's Sermon on the Mount, "he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: and he opened his mouth, and taught them."^{Matt. 5:1, 2.} What follows in this and the next two chapters summarizes the Master's teachings. These teachings give us practical guidance for thought and action not only regarding our personal experience but also for when we "see the multitudes," when we become keenly aware that we need to do something to extend Christianity and to heal our world. In fact, without the Christlikeness delineated in the Beatitudes, we may suffer failure in attempts to deal with the problems of our world. Or we may be so overcome with Weltschmerz—indeed not only with sadness over the evils of the world, but also with a preoccupation with the nature of evil—that we don't even try.

Recognizing mortal poverty, the total inadequacy of material solutions, we drop the arrogance that presumes to have all the answers. We exhibit the meekness of spirit found expressed in our Master's words, "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do,"^{John 5:19.} and turn humbly to learn more of God and His ways. Such willingness to be "poor in spirit" may not come without a proper sense of mourning, of being sufficiently touched to feel compassion for our world with its fears and concerns. Then, we don't just blithely go on our way, indifferent to the multitudes' needs.

Wisdom literature, recorded centuries before Jesus' birth, and perhaps given in advice to world problem-solvers yet centuries before that, apparently did much to provide a framework for our Master's teachings. "The meek shall inherit the earth," we read in Psalms; "and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace."^{Ps. 37:11.} We may picture the young Jesus contemplating these truths, living in the light of them, and distilling their essence in two large statements included in what we have come to call the Beatitudes.