Blessed to be Poor?

Life eventually comes to an end for all of us -- no matter
how tough we are. What will be your legacy?

Scripture:

Luke 6:²⁰ Then he looked up at his disciples and said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,

for yours is the kingdom of God.

Observation:

Luke’s version of the Beatitudes is different from that of Mark’s. He begins with three blesseds and transitions to three woes. Again, this seems to be an affirmation of his role as teacher and Son of God, helping to develop his disciples, as well as the crowds. Notice, Luke says that Jesus looked up at his disciples and then began his teaching. He is gearing this toward them.

The disciples had given up their livelihoods to follow Jesus. Tax collectors were wealthy, and fishing was a good business, but they had left all of this behind to be with Jesus. They became poor for Jesus’ sake and then he tells them that they are blessed because they may not have the things of this world, but they did have the kingdom of God. This is a worldview in which things are made right by the justice of God. (Neale, NBBC) The result is that “inequality, oppression and need will be swept away by the reign of God” (Neale, NBBC). 

John Wesley has some strong words: “Because generally prosperity is a sweet poison, and affliction a healing, though bitter medicine. Let the thought reconcile us to adversity, and awaken our caution when the world smiles upon us; when a plentiful table is spread before us, and our cup is running over; when our spirits are [joyful]; and we hear (what nature loves) our own praise from men. Happy are ye poor—The word seems here to be taken literally: ye who have left all for me.” 

Application:

If we had a choice, most of us would not choose to be poor. And yet, it is our wealth that becomes a barrier to dependence upon God. Chuck and I have often said that we were amazed at the miracles and answers to prayer that we saw when we lived in Russia. We were thrust into a position of total dependence upon God, and when that happened, we saw God working in and through nearly everything that we were doing. God came just in the right moment to supply our needs. 

Those who are wealthy don’t think that they need God. Often the physically rich mock God’s name and find no problem mocking his people. I was talking with a friend yesterday who talked about the early days of the holiness movement and how the different denominations didn’t have a problem speaking to the issues of the day because they had already been marginalized by the world. When we are not trying to be approved by the powers that be, we are freer to speak into the things of God. That’s why the poor are blessed. They don’t have any hooks in them that come from the world. 

The blessing of being poor by the world’s standards is being rich by God’s. 

Prayer:

Lord, help me to use that which you have given me to bless others, and to live dependent upon you.  Amen.