For a few weeks this summer we are looking at what Jesus taught us about the true secrets to living a happy life.

In the Beatitudes (Matthew 5), Jesus lays out eight standards for Christian living. You might call these the “8 Secrets of a Happy Life.” Everyone wants to be happy. But not everyone is eager to follow Jesus’ plan on how to find happiness. We need to pray and ask the Lord to help us live out these eight characteristics in our lives. The Beatitudes show us the way to be blessed and happy. They are also eight great things we need to pray become real in our own lives.

The third beatitude states, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” I have applied this to my own life by praying, “God, help me to always remember that I need to practice meekness. Help me to humbly put You and others before myself.” Meekness is a mark of true Christian living. It has to do with developing and maintaining God-honoring relationships. We need to have a genuine respect for others and see them as people created in the image of God.

How we treat others matters. It matters to God. It matters to others. And it should matter to us. Practicing humility and respect for others is another secret to happy living. May we all pray that God will shine through us as we relate to others with respect, dignity, and honor.