The kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake! To the world (and maybe even to some Christians), this is one of the most shocking and confusing promises that God made to His people! So, what does it mean to be persecuted for "righteousness' sake"?
He's not talking about being scoffed at for doing good things (righteous things) in general, like helping an old lady cross the street, or passing out food to the hungry. He's not even talking about being criticized by the left because you support the ideology of the right.
He's talking about being persecuted for following Jesus; for being doers of the word. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them because they are obeying the King and the things they are doing are making the kingdom larger - they are building the kingdom. They have taken ownership of it and are investing their lives in it. They have counted the cost and have decided that Jesus is worth losing their lives for. This sounds ridiculous and like foolishness to someone who does not know Jesus, but it is entirely within the scope of following Jesus.
God looks for justice and righteousness among His people (Isaiah 5:7). It is a requirement to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20). If we are pursuing righteousness and seeking the kingdom of God, it is very likely that we will be persecuted for righteousness' sake.
We often think of blessings as being something comfortable or luxurious that benefits our life, such as having a home or money to pay the bills. In this case however, the blessing is the kingdom of heaven which comes through suffering persecution.
This idea may be hard for some to imagine and might contradict the belief of many that God only wants to shower His people with blessings of comfort and safety from harm and tribulation. If you look in the Bible though, suffering, persecution, and tribulation for God's people is a primary theme. Even our Lord experienced it.
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References
Matthew 5:10
[10] Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Isaiah 5:7 NKJV
[7] For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but behold, oppression; For righteousness, but behold, a cry for help.
Matthew 5:20
[20] For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
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