All Saints

4:25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him. 5:1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: 3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Matthew 4:25, 5:1-6)

Jesus and his - at this point, new - disciples had developed a large following as Jesus taught and healed everywhere they went. Jesus' motley crew of understudies must have been amazed at what they were seeing, and possibly intimidated at the thought that they might be expected to do more than just watch. Jesus needed to teach them to see the masses from his perspective - God's perspective. Those clamoring for his attention, his touch, his power were neither to be seen as people to be pitied or vilified, but as those who would be blessed.

13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?" 14 I said to him, "Sir, you are the one that knows." Then he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. 16 They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; 17 for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:13-17)

We tend to almost deify the term "saint", but throughout the gospels all believers are referred to as saints. And in the book of Revelation those "robed in white" are simply those who have been through great difficulty and been made whole. No matter the trials we have been through, are going through, or will go through, we are not defined by our struggle, but by the One who brings us through. Like the disciples, we are challenged to see all of those whose paths we cross as blessed children of God. If we could change our perspective of enemies, friends, and those we don't even know to "saints", how would it change us? How might it change them? If you took a selfie and labeled it "saint", would it change the way you see yourself?

Maybe it should.

7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:7-12)