Hear· The Beginning of a Flourishing Life
Part 1 of 3 in the “Hear · Build · Stand” Series
From the Noise to the Mountain
Over the past few weeks, we’ve explored how faith remains strong in a restless world and how to stay grounded when life is constantly in motion. Now, we turn to the foundation of everything: the words of Jesus on a quiet hillside, where He described what a truly thriving life looks like.
This new three-part series, Hear · Build · Stand, will gradually explore that vision.
We start where Jesus began, with listening.
A Mountain, a Moment, a Movement of Hearts
“When he saw the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to teach them…”
Jesus doesn’t start with a crowd-pleasing miracle or a call to action. He sits. The people lean in. The hill turns into a classroom, not a stage.
He begins not with rules, but with words of blessing that change how the world views success. Transformation begins not with effort but with attention: hearts aligned to perceive God’s view of the world.
If you want to practice that posture at home, try creating “quiet space” moments this week: no screens, no noise. Read a short passage of Scripture aloud, then pause. Let the words settle before speaking.
As scholar Jonathan Pennington describes, this is Jesus inviting us into the good and beautiful life; truly what it means to be whole under God’s reign.
II. Makarios — What Jesus Means by “Blessed”
Remember that Jesus spoke Aramaic, but the New Testament was written in Greek. Matthew, undoubtedly guided by God, writes that the first word Jesus speaks is makarios or “blessed." It’s more than just "happy,” which is often seen as a temporary state in our current culture. It signifies flourishing, fulfillment, and wholeness. In essence, it is about how to be in The Good Life.
And what follows sounds upside down: the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful. The people the world overlooks are the ones God calls blessed.
The Beatitudes depict a picture of grace that grows in unlikely soil. Each flourishing describes not what to accomplish, but who to become.
Try this as a family rhythm: choose one Beatitude each week and find a small way to live it out.
“Blessed are the merciful” → forgive quickly.
“Blessed are the pure in heart” → unplug for an evening and talk honestly.
“Blessed are the peacemakers” → speak gently, even when you disagree.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” → pray before reacting.
III. Hearing as Formation
“So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.”
The Sermon on the Mount starts, not with action, but attention. Before we do, we listen. Before we follow, we hear.
In Scripture, hearing is never passive. It’s the act of receiving that allows truth to take hold deeply enough to reshape the heart.
When Matthew writes, “He opened His mouth and began to teach,” it echoes creation itself: God speaking life into being, word by word. Formation begins there.
The Beatitudes are not moral checklists; they are invitations to a new way of seeing. They form us as we return to them again and again, until the words become habits of thought and patterns of grace.
If you’re new to reading Scripture this way, keep it simple: a physical Bible, a notebook, and a trusted guide, such as the CSB Study Bible or N. T. Wright’s Matthew for Everyone (optional).
Read slowly, read it again, and out loud if possible. Listen for what stands out, not for what you already know. Because hearing Him, really hearing Him, is how change begins.
IV. Flourishing in a Loud World
The hillside where Jesus spoke was quiet enough for hearts to listen; our world, not so much.
The noise has multiplied: notifications, opinions, endless scrolls. Each one promising meaning, but few offer peace. The temptation is to meet noise with more noise, but Jesus shows another way. He doesn’t compete for attention; He restores it.
To flourish today isn’t about escaping the world; it’s about filtering it through His voice. It’s about believing His words still matter in a culture that constantly ‘refreshes.’
As Pennington reminds us, this is “the way of true human flourishing”: a life reordered by the kingdom, where blessedness means communion, not comfort.
For families, this begins with protecting what’s sacred. Try a screen-free Sabbath hour each weekend: read a Psalm, take a walk, or sit at the table. Replace scrolling with listening to Scripture, to each other, and to silence.
Every scroll shapes the soul.
But so does every pause.
V. Reflection Challenge
Read Matthew 5:1-12 aloud together this week.
Take your time, even just a verse or two each night.
Then ask:
Which blessing feels hardest to believe right now? Why might Jesus call that flourishing?
You don’t need to have an answer. Just sit with the question. The process of listening is slow; it seeps into decisions, tones of voice, and what we reach for when we’re tired.
Pray together as a family:
“Lord, quiet our minds to hear You.
Teach us to love what You bless,
and to rest in Your voice above all others.”
VI. Next Week — Build
Next week, we’ll move from hearing to building and how Jesus’ words become structure. How rhythms, habits, and choices turn grace into strength. And how families can build in a way that endures, even when the storms come.
References
• Matthew 5:1–12 (CSB), Romans 10:17 (CSB)
• Jonathan T. Pennington, Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing (Baker Academic, 2017)
• N. T. Wright, Matthew for Everyone (SPCK, 2002)
About the Author
Justin Jones, Ph.D., is the founder of The Imager Project. With a background in biochemistry and years of teaching, coaching, and ministry, he writes on faith, family, and country. He and his wife are raising three children in Delaware and helping families live as God’s people today.
