Christian Character - Those Who Hunger and Thirst After Righteousness

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The fourth Beatitude is Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”

In this Beatitude we see a difference from the previous three with that difference being desire.  In fact if we look up both hunger and thirst in Strong’s, we find “desire earnestly” as part of the definition for both of these.

I find it interesting that hunger and thirst are used.  Nothing satisfies those except food and fluids.  They are also recurring.  In time we all hunger and thirst again and seek things to satisfy those desires.  But it is not food or drink the followers of Christ are desiring in this verse.  It is righteousness; divine approval, what is deemed right by God.  It is only righteousness that will satisfy.

We can see David writing about this thirst and hunger in Psalm 42:1-3:

“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?”

When we are hungry or thirsty, we desire to satisfy that desire.  Sometimes we ignore that desire for whatever reason, but eventually we are driven to find something, anything to stop that hunger or thirst.  I think that is what Jesus is talking about here.  These are people who are driven to be satisfied by those things God approves of.  And it is not just for themselves, but for the world around them.  They want to live in a God approved land.

In Colossians 3: 1-2 Paul writes “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”  As Christians we are told to desire and direct or mind to things above, heavenly things, and not worldly things.

Consider what Paul wrote about setting our desires on heavenly or earthly things.  Followers of Christ cannot satisfy their desires through seeking things of the world, only through seeking righteousness.    Romans 8:5-6 address what happens when we try to satisfy ourselves through worldly things:

“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

Paul is talking about a spiritual death here as opposed to life (salvation).  I think this desire after Righteousness exists because followers of Christ know satisfaction only in those things that lead to life.  No one is ever truly satisfied by more money or more things or drugs and alcohol.  These things are counterfeits, deceptions, earthly things.  They never satisfy.

Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness are those who earnestly desire those things approved by God.
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