So apparently my previous account on blogspot was deleted.
Here's to a fresh start...
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Nothing in My Hands I Bring
So there is this passage in Matthew where Jesus is sitting on a hill and teaching a bunch of people. The people were naturally intrigued by him, after all, he had just gone throughout Galilee healing person after person. He was no ordinary rabbi and his messaged sounded very, very different from the rabbis who had walked before him. After the men saved their families a seat at the foot of the hill and the women pulled the children away from skipping rocks, Jesus introduced his teaching with these words:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Poor in spirit? Weak. Empty. Helpless. Hopeless in and of themselves. These are the characteristics of those who inherit the kingdom of heaven. He who walks as such will be counted blessed. Huh? I thought it was the strong, the mighty, the one who had the most willpower, the one who continually "did better," the one who pulled himself up by his bootstraps and cleaned himself up. I thought those were the blessed ones. I thought it was these who would inherit the kingdom of heaven, even though I never found myself among them. Yeah, these words sounded very different. Almost backwards. As if, whatever you thought to be true about life, even a life of faith, reverse it, and that is the way of Christ.
I am a little uncomfortable with this message because I've got this residing thought in my mind that I've got to prove myself to others. God gave me grace in the beginning to get me on my feet and get me started, but eventually I muster up the willpower to live right and do better. After all, don't I have to prove to God that I'm a big boy now? "Jesus, look at what I can do."
No, it is those who live weak, empty, helpless, and hopeless in and of themselves that live blessed. It is these who find the great reward. It is these who inherit his kingdom.
Spiritual maturity is not a graduation from grace.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Poor in spirit? Weak. Empty. Helpless. Hopeless in and of themselves. These are the characteristics of those who inherit the kingdom of heaven. He who walks as such will be counted blessed. Huh? I thought it was the strong, the mighty, the one who had the most willpower, the one who continually "did better," the one who pulled himself up by his bootstraps and cleaned himself up. I thought those were the blessed ones. I thought it was these who would inherit the kingdom of heaven, even though I never found myself among them. Yeah, these words sounded very different. Almost backwards. As if, whatever you thought to be true about life, even a life of faith, reverse it, and that is the way of Christ.
I am a little uncomfortable with this message because I've got this residing thought in my mind that I've got to prove myself to others. God gave me grace in the beginning to get me on my feet and get me started, but eventually I muster up the willpower to live right and do better. After all, don't I have to prove to God that I'm a big boy now? "Jesus, look at what I can do."
No, it is those who live weak, empty, helpless, and hopeless in and of themselves that live blessed. It is these who find the great reward. It is these who inherit his kingdom.
Spiritual maturity is not a graduation from grace.
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