"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." -Matthew 5:3
The Beatitudes (Matthew 5: 1-11) may be what you think of in terms of blessing now, but I guarantee you it was not what the crowds expected Jesus to say. Imagine; it's the big day, the day of your first public sermon. And to pump up the crowds, you tell them that they should become poor, weak, mournful, hungry, pure in heart, merciful, peaceful and persecuted, because then they would be blessed (Matthew 5:3-11)... Seems odd doesn't it? It was- and really still is.
Let's just look at what Jesus said first in the list. Maybe the first time you read it you unknowingly passed over it. I like what my friend Jonathan said the other day: "I always thought that didn't apply to ME. I'm not poor!" That's what I thought too; maybe I just wasn't as honest about it. But I have a hunch that He wasn't just talking to poor people. In fact, I think that a lot of the people that we would call poor don't really even fit the bill of what Jesus was talking about.
What He was speaking to is the posture that says, "Father, I bring you my heart AND my sacrifice (time, energy, spiritual discipline, good works, etc.) because but You are worthy of it all. It is the best that I have, and I know it is not near enough to merit anything from you, the all-powerful and righteous and loving God. However, I throw myself on Your mercy and ask for Your help!" More often for us, we say something to the effect of, "Thanks for blessing me God. After all, I'm trying my best out here!"
You see, one thing about poor people is that they don't really have another option for the day when they ask you for money on your way to work. This was especially true in Jesus day, before WIC, food stamps and unemployment. I am sincerely thankful that we value caring for the poor in our society with these programs now, but they just didn't have those then. When He told them the beggars (literally) in spirit get blessed, they understood what He meant. "You are going to get blessed if you become so helpless spiritually that you literally become a beggar towards God." It does no good to try to impress God- He is not easily impressed. He is, however, easily pleased by simple faith.
Now I am not saying that we should not be disciplined, faithful, do-gooders-in-works, etc. I am saying, however, that these will never earn anything from a perfect God. On the other hand, though, we can accept Jesus' invitation to become a beggar and be blessed. Actually, He says we can "inherit the the kingdom of heaven." The whole kingdom! What a trade! For, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor. 5: 21 NIV, emphasis mine).
If you're sick, tired, helpless, or strung-out and tired of trying to fix yourself today, I'd go to Jesus. It's the Gospel. He offers His righteousness and kingdom for your sin.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Trials: Painful But Good
"The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth." -Lamentaions 3:25-27 (ESV)
I don't think our fast-paced, instant success society values the wisdom in this verse as much as it should. So I thought to myself, what better verse to meditate on for Christmas day! (chuckle) But really, it does seem that we always want to be entertained, comforted, and find the easier path to achievement. I also believe it has colored our view of God, and in many cases, led to disillusionment and burn-out. God, after all, "disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives,” Hebrews 12:6 (ESV). Now, breathe easy, because there's probably plenty in my life to uncover with regard to this for the sake of this post to leave much time for me to preach at you; but you might think about it sometime if you get the chance.
For this Christmas break I felt prompted to spend some time learning from and serving my grandparents. They were all too excited to let me come (likely a sign I have not kept in contact as well as I should unfortunately). Nonetheless, I sensed that the Lord had something for me to learn out here this year. I still have almost a week left (stop by if you're in the area!), but I've noticed a lot already. A conversation I had earlier today with my grandfather made me think about this topic.
As we sat eating today, we began talking about his life when he was young himself. One thing I have been convicted of is that I have not cared to ask very many good questions of my grandparents in the past, and so I've tried a few. He mentioned his first job that he got when he was nine years old delivering papers. He ended up keeping that same route for over ten years- a record for Lubbock I believe. I also know from previous conversations that it was not a job he got on a whim, but one that actually contributed to the family income for the basic necessities of life as they were very poor. He would wake up at five every morning to deliver around 220 papers before school (or other jobs in the summer). Then later, he would deliver around 180 afternoon editions of the paper. Sunday brought about 320 paper deliveries. He then talked about all of the other jobs he had held during the next ten years, concurrent with the paper route: mechanic assistant, grocery deliverer, glasses deliverer, lifeguard, hired hand at the cotton fields, etc. It seemed there were about ten to fifteen jobs probably between nine and when he was drafted into the army. What I noticed was that it seems to have instilled something in him that he still carries into his efforts of owning and running his own RV business to this day.
My life hasn't much resembled that. I've been handed much more much sooner with much less effort. I think my first real job was at sixteen or seventeen in my dad's clinic. I've had a few jobs since then, and generally think I have worked well at each of them (I've never been fired at least); but it's clearly not the same difficulty. It has made me reflect on the nature of work. We equate what is hard to what is bad and what is easy to what is good too often. It is therefore disappointing when work is actually very hard and demanding. Yet, I think Charles Spurgeon said it well in his 1,291st sermon: "Yoke bearing is not pleasant, but it is good. It is not every pleasant thing that is good, nor every good thing that is pleasant. Sometimes the goodness may be just in proportion to the unpleasantness." I agree. hard work is not pleasant, and I am not trying to argue that it is. I am also not saying that all trials are good, because some can be brought on by rebellion or stubbornness. These don't lead to growth so much as correction.
I would personally always tend to take the easier path when able to choose; but, it is a good thing to face adversity. Why, though? We generally think that abundance leads to joy and contentment, but without discipline it can really lead to poverty and despair. It's just the opposite of what we expect. It is essentially what we could call the fruit of diligence in the face of hardship. When I am challenged beyond my comfort zone, I respond much stronger. What I find later too, is that I carry something internally that is immensely more valuable than the pain was hurtful. That's because the degree of pain often determines the degree of internal growth. I do have one outward reward: my state championship ring from my high school basketball glory days; but even it is not near as rewarding as the "peaceful fruit of righteousness" I obtain with other kinds of training (Hebrews 12:11). I'm learning to embrace the obstacles of life with a different attitude: thankfulness. That just sucks a lot of times though, because the obstacles still hurt the same! I've become pretty accustomed to the pampered lifestyle and it's more difficult to change now; but I am decided.
Now, I think I have settled in my heart the desire to be a man of faithfulness. Success for me has to be based on faithfulness and character. I know I'm already loved, and so it's not about acceptance or approval, but I do want my life to mean something. One thing I love about that passage in Lamentations is that it actually begins by proclaiming the goodness of God! Discipline leads us to His goodness! Of course, I still wouldn't really recommend praying for trials and adversity. I don't myself, but I do still run into plenty. My goal now is just to be a good responder and a faithful steward of what God gives me to do. I don't seek out trouble, but I do want to learn to respond with my whole heart and learn what is to be learned in it.
I don't think our fast-paced, instant success society values the wisdom in this verse as much as it should. So I thought to myself, what better verse to meditate on for Christmas day! (chuckle) But really, it does seem that we always want to be entertained, comforted, and find the easier path to achievement. I also believe it has colored our view of God, and in many cases, led to disillusionment and burn-out. God, after all, "disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives,” Hebrews 12:6 (ESV). Now, breathe easy, because there's probably plenty in my life to uncover with regard to this for the sake of this post to leave much time for me to preach at you; but you might think about it sometime if you get the chance.
For this Christmas break I felt prompted to spend some time learning from and serving my grandparents. They were all too excited to let me come (likely a sign I have not kept in contact as well as I should unfortunately). Nonetheless, I sensed that the Lord had something for me to learn out here this year. I still have almost a week left (stop by if you're in the area!), but I've noticed a lot already. A conversation I had earlier today with my grandfather made me think about this topic.
As we sat eating today, we began talking about his life when he was young himself. One thing I have been convicted of is that I have not cared to ask very many good questions of my grandparents in the past, and so I've tried a few. He mentioned his first job that he got when he was nine years old delivering papers. He ended up keeping that same route for over ten years- a record for Lubbock I believe. I also know from previous conversations that it was not a job he got on a whim, but one that actually contributed to the family income for the basic necessities of life as they were very poor. He would wake up at five every morning to deliver around 220 papers before school (or other jobs in the summer). Then later, he would deliver around 180 afternoon editions of the paper. Sunday brought about 320 paper deliveries. He then talked about all of the other jobs he had held during the next ten years, concurrent with the paper route: mechanic assistant, grocery deliverer, glasses deliverer, lifeguard, hired hand at the cotton fields, etc. It seemed there were about ten to fifteen jobs probably between nine and when he was drafted into the army. What I noticed was that it seems to have instilled something in him that he still carries into his efforts of owning and running his own RV business to this day.
My life hasn't much resembled that. I've been handed much more much sooner with much less effort. I think my first real job was at sixteen or seventeen in my dad's clinic. I've had a few jobs since then, and generally think I have worked well at each of them (I've never been fired at least); but it's clearly not the same difficulty. It has made me reflect on the nature of work. We equate what is hard to what is bad and what is easy to what is good too often. It is therefore disappointing when work is actually very hard and demanding. Yet, I think Charles Spurgeon said it well in his 1,291st sermon: "Yoke bearing is not pleasant, but it is good. It is not every pleasant thing that is good, nor every good thing that is pleasant. Sometimes the goodness may be just in proportion to the unpleasantness." I agree. hard work is not pleasant, and I am not trying to argue that it is. I am also not saying that all trials are good, because some can be brought on by rebellion or stubbornness. These don't lead to growth so much as correction.
I would personally always tend to take the easier path when able to choose; but, it is a good thing to face adversity. Why, though? We generally think that abundance leads to joy and contentment, but without discipline it can really lead to poverty and despair. It's just the opposite of what we expect. It is essentially what we could call the fruit of diligence in the face of hardship. When I am challenged beyond my comfort zone, I respond much stronger. What I find later too, is that I carry something internally that is immensely more valuable than the pain was hurtful. That's because the degree of pain often determines the degree of internal growth. I do have one outward reward: my state championship ring from my high school basketball glory days; but even it is not near as rewarding as the "peaceful fruit of righteousness" I obtain with other kinds of training (Hebrews 12:11). I'm learning to embrace the obstacles of life with a different attitude: thankfulness. That just sucks a lot of times though, because the obstacles still hurt the same! I've become pretty accustomed to the pampered lifestyle and it's more difficult to change now; but I am decided.
Now, I think I have settled in my heart the desire to be a man of faithfulness. Success for me has to be based on faithfulness and character. I know I'm already loved, and so it's not about acceptance or approval, but I do want my life to mean something. One thing I love about that passage in Lamentations is that it actually begins by proclaiming the goodness of God! Discipline leads us to His goodness! Of course, I still wouldn't really recommend praying for trials and adversity. I don't myself, but I do still run into plenty. My goal now is just to be a good responder and a faithful steward of what God gives me to do. I don't seek out trouble, but I do want to learn to respond with my whole heart and learn what is to be learned in it.
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