The value in others

"Blessed are those who esteem others more than themselves, for in doing so they participate in the Kingdom of Christ." (again, an adaptation of Matthew 5:3)

The poor in spirit can't help but see the value in others. Being poor of spirit means you realize the lowliness of your own position and lay aside your quest for importance. Arriving at such a state of poverty comes from realizing your own condition of sin.

When this condition is realized you can love others more than ever before because your expectations of them are much less. You don't expect perfection. You gracefully receive their shortcomings. Because you see the log in your own eye you have a greater understanding of the speck in your brother's (or sister's).

And it's just that - a speck. What before drew most of your frustration for your brother now draws nearly none because you understand your own shortcomings and as a result give more grace. Now that the frustrations are taken down to a speck you are able to see the vast amount of worth and beauty God has placed in this person - because this person, and all people, are made in and with God's image.

Being poor in spirit - realizing the sin in our heart that frustrates others - gives us grace to accept how others frustrate us and frees us to see God in them.

Holy Spirit of truth, help me to understand the truth of myself. Help me gain a right view of myself and others. Help me to see my sin so that through Christ I may be free from it - and therefore free to see you in those I formerly judged for their imperfections. Through Jesus Christ our Lord I ask for this grace and gift.

Amen

Poor and blessed

"Blessed are those in humble position, for they realize the place of this position is not their home." (Based upon Matthew 5:3)

If you were grateful for being unnoticed, would it take the pressure off of you to become noticed? If you cared little for wealth, would it be right to say you would spend little time or effort pursuing it? If you cared little for greatness, would you judge yourself with more grace?

Being noticed, wealth, greatness...all these are values of our culture, of this kingdom. They drive us to become different people. We morph from the beautiful creatures we've been designed to be into something God never intended for us to be. The gifts God has given us in our personalities and our abilities are minimized when compared to what everyone else has. Rather than having a spirit of gratitude we develop envy and exchange our unique imprint for the impersonation of someone else.

The humble person gratefully excepts the way they were designed. They thank God for it and work to cultivate and steward it so they can fully be who God's created them to be. They realize the place of honor is not defined by certain cultural status, but the place of honor is already in themselves - because God created them in a specific way.

Therefore we can rejoice in our humble position. It may not be as noticeable as someone else, but then that is not the point. The point is not to measure yourself on the cultural norms of success, achievement, and importance in the world around us. We must find our merit simply in who God has designed and created us to be. As we live out the position God has given us in the midst of this world that is based upon a hierarchy of position, we point to God's kingdom where there is only one king...and the rest of us sit on equal ground around His throne.

Heavenly Father, my maker, help me to humbly accept and delight in the way you have designed me. Take from me the weight and pressure of envy that often overtakes me. Give me freedom to love the creature you've created - with all of my gifts and abilities - and even my imperfections. You are a lover of the humble. By your grace help me live in such company.

Amen.

A Reflection on the poor in spirit

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 5:3

I am blessed when I realize the actual state of my soul

when I see how sick and impoverished it is

prone to do and say things I would be ashamed of.

When I realize the state of my own soul I acknowledge the richness of the gift I've been given.

a life of freedom from those things that would otherwise hold me in shackles

a freedom I receive rather than work hard for

a freedom I trust rather than one I earn.

One could say you inherit the kingdom of heaven when you accept your own sense of being found wanting

of not measuring up

of continually failing

of being unable to sustain in yourself a sense of consistency of thought, emotion, or action

When you accept you are poor in spirit, there is no lower to go nor is there a higher place to stand

everything is a gift, and you receive it with joy because you realize it is of great value and have done nothing of worth to deserve it.

Lord Jesus Christ, who became poor and who lived among the impoverished of spirit, grant that we might find freedom through such poverty so that we might live gratefully receiving everything as a gift from you.

Amen.