to be poor in spirit

[Jesus] said:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:2b-3

To be poor in spirit in some respects is to be like Jesus. Jesus was poor in the world’s eyes, not a boaster, not self-willed, not posing as someone great. Utter humility in becoming one of us, but that’s who he was before. But this became evident when the Creator became a creature. And gentle and humble in heart. Not forcing his will on others, but giving space to them, even to the point of suffering at people’s hands, to the point of death.

When we look at poor in spirit, we think of the fact that we’re poor and needy sinners in need of forgiveness. Yes, that surely has application here. And it could mean something like living simply and being generous with what one has to help others in need.

At any rate, we in Jesus as his followers are among the blessed when we’re poor in spirit. In and through Jesus.

 

being like Jesus in our struggles

If there’s one thing for certain in life, it’s that we’ll have struggles of one kind or another. I was watching a clip on war torn, disease ravaged Yemen today, and I also think of North Korea where to profess Christ would bring a death sentence. Comparing those two places, not to mention a good number of other places in the world (Haiti and Venezuela come to mind on our side of the world, but a number of other faltering states as well), and I begin to see that much of what I think I have to be concerned about pales in comparison. And yet problems here can seem like life and death matters at times, even while we live in relative comfort and safety. We need to be in prayer for the people who lack basic care, and whose lives are in danger.

How are we like Jesus in our own struggles? I think we have to pay attention to the things that Jesus did, as well as what he taught in the gospel accounts: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. And see how that is expanded on in the rest of the New Testament. Our goal should be that we are more and more becoming like him, whatever difficulties we face. And hopefully to see such difficulties help us grow in ways we couldn’t imagine otherwise, as we learn to walk in Jesus’s way, no matter what. In and through Jesus.

is Christianity about following Christ, becoming more like him?

Discipleship is the process of becoming who Jesus would be if he were you.

Dallas Willard

We are flooded with so much that distracts us from our true calling as Christians. It’s not like we’re to ignore everything else. But what’s at the heart of who we really are?

For Christians it’s to be no less than Christ himself. And that doesn’t mean only to save us, and help us through life. But much more. To be in the process of becoming more and more like him, no less.

When people think of the word Christian, I wonder what comes to mind? Too often Christendom and the vestiges of that, I’m afraid. Not that all and everything in that is bad. But there has been much there, and still much remains that is really not Christ-like.

Notice what Dallas Willard says. This is a process, not something instantaneous. It requires effort and takes time. And prayer, and the work of God’s Spirit. It is certainly beyond us, not something we can achieve by following a few rules, not by our own self-effort.

We need to commit ourselves to wanting to know Christ. Simply asking Christ to make himself known to us is a good start. And then with the commitment to follow him in all of life, even when we have no clue what that means. I can’t imagine who Christ is myself. I need God’s revelation to help me. As God begins to give that to me over time, then I’ll learn more and more what that means. In loving others, in seeing in myself what is not Christ-like, in seeking to prayerfully adjust my life accordingly.

In and through Jesus.

love that enemy

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:43-48

“Love wins.” That may seem trite and empty, but there’s wisdom and truth in that saying. Especially in the way of Jesus, actually at the heart of the way of Jesus.

How easy it is for us to be disgusted with people who seem against us, and return their attitude with a nonverbal slight. We need to repent of such attitudes, and instead show humble love to our enemies.

After all, we too were enemies of God, but God loved us even then. If we’re to be true children of our heavenly Father, then we’ll learn to do the same. In and through Jesus.

 

is it marked by the fruit of the Spirit?

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Galatians 5:22-23

Recently in a podcast I was listening to, it was asked whether or not “Christian” endeavors were marked by the fruit of the Spirit. We live in a day of a lot of anger in the midst of a “culture war.”  You can see this clearly on social media, like on Facebook. Often the posts seemed marked by lots of fear along with more than enough anger. What often seems missing are what Paul calls “the fruit of the Spirit.”

This is a good test anywhere, actually. At home, or at work, wherever. Is my life marked by the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control? If not, then I’m not living out or showing the character of Christ. Of course it’s not like we’ll be perfect or fully developed in this. But “are we growing in it?” is the question.

This is not so much a matter of feeling, not necessarily at all. It is about the difference God’s grace and the Holy Spirit makes in our lives. Instead of the works of the flesh (click above link), the fruit of the Spirit.

Yes, it’s the Spirit who produces this fruit. But does that mean that we’re not to try to live in such fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, etc.? No. We should attempt to do just that. Not unlike the gifts of the Spirit, it is of the Spirit, but we still must do it. Something we do with the Spirit’s enabling. In the same way, we live out more and more of the character of Christ through the Spirit’s work, as actually a part of the fruit that the Spirit produces in our lives. Of the Spirit in and through Jesus.

character versus giftedness

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

The fruit of the Spirit (“love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control”) are not in competition against the gifts of the Spirit. But this passage from Paul makes it clear that without love, the operation of the gifts means nothing, at least not in God’s estimation of the person who practices them.

What I would like to tell any young, budding preacher would be something like what Paul is saying here. I would say, the gift part will come. That is important. But major on character. Make sure your life is in line with God’s call to love which includes living in and according to the truth.

Give me any day and every day someone who is faithfully plodding along with what might be considered a nothing out of the ordinary gift, but consistently and faithfully loves others, and loves God, their lives marked by obedience to God’s will. I’ll take that any day over a person who has an amazing gift, but is a bit fast and loose when it comes to character. The fruit of the Spirit is the goal in our lives toward Christ-likeness. The gifts of the Spirit are meant to help us move that direction. In and through Jesus.

marked with meekness

Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.

Matthew 5:5

Gloss:

gentle, meek, the positive moral quality of dealing with people in a kind manner, with humility and consideration

Definition:

…meek, gentle, kind, forgiving, Mt. 5:5; mild, benevolent, humane, Mt. 11:29; 21:5; 1 Pet. 3:4

Bill Mounce

Jesus said that meekness is a characteristic of the blessed. It should mark those of us who profess to follow Jesus. As we remain in God’s word and in Jesus’s words, the Spirit will be working this trait into our hearts to impact our lives. Our actions, our words, everything will become more and more marked with meekness. So that when we drift from that, we’ll more and more know better. And through repentance want to get back on track. In the true family likeness of God revealed in Jesus.

 

heart

Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.

Matthew 5:4

I wrote this on our board at our work, and it got me to thinking. We look at this as applying only to Jesus’s disciples. And we can well argue for that in its context. After all, in his great Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is laying out the difference between those who build their house on the rock, as opposed to others who build their house on sand.

But it also got me to thinking. And by and by I’m guessing God’s revelation moved me to the realization that God’s heart goes out to all who mourn. I think the pages of Scripture support that. Certainly the words that God reached out in love to us when we were still sinners, Christ dying for us.

This means we ought to have a heart for all who are mourning. Christians should be known as people with the largest, most tender hearts. As we hopefully become more and more people “after God’s own heart.” In and through Jesus.

press on

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12-14

By faith we “press on.” We have a new leader where I work who regularly says, “Press on.” And I’m sure, having gotten to know him some, that his thoughts are not at all far removed, but surely in sync with what Paul was talking about here.

We press on in the way of Jesus, the way of the Spirit as opposed to the flesh. The way of death and resurrection, the way of knowing Jesus our Lord and becoming like him even in his death.

In doing so, we hear a completely different tune than what the world has to offer. Instead of applause and accolades, we accept scorn, ridicule, and rejection when need be. We go on, depending not on our strength, not on “the flesh,” but solely on God and his promise to us in Jesus through the Spirit. And we depend on that to not only see us through, but to help us toward the goal to which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus. Something Paul himself said he had not yet arrived to when this was written.

May God help us to “press on” toward that same goal in and through Jesus.

the good of adversity

ט Teth

Do good to your servant
according to your word, LORD.
Teach me knowledge and good judgment,
for I trust your commands.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I obey your word.
You are good, and what you do is good;
teach me your decrees.
Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies,
I keep your precepts with all my heart.
Their hearts are callous and unfeeling,
but I delight in your law.
It was good for me to be afflicted
so that I might learn your decrees.
The law from your mouth is more precious to me
than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.

Psalm 119:65-72

We often liken adversity to an enemy, indeed, an adversary. At times we find that our trouble lies significantly in ourselves, and not only in outward circumstances. Sometimes only in ourselves, though in this world- in this present existence one has trouble.

I have found and come to see as valuable low and hard places as opportunities for spiritual growth, even needed spiritual breakthrough. During those times I want to keep turning to God’s word. God might have my attention then in alas a way he didn’t have before when I was more or less happily drifting along, or just living. It seems like such affliction and suffering are necessary for our growth into Christ-likeness.

Adversity is adversity. But faith in God through it helps us find something of infinite value in contrast to the finite things we often cling to. In and through Jesus.