Rags to Riches

How many of us would readily publish our checking account balance?  In this day of hacking, it may already be known.  I can confidently say, because of my balance – my account is truly safe!

 

Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit …” (Matthew 5:3).  How does a person achieve this state of spiritual poverty?  There’s a remedy for almost everything known to man – hair loss, wrinkles, toe fungus, lawn pests, etc.  In this culture of “Put Forth Yourself!”, can the “poor in spirit” even exist and thrive?  Truth is, there’s only one way for Christian succeed, and it’s found in Verse 8: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”  All the be-attitudes (beatitudes) found in the Gospel of Matthew are important, but they hinge on this one of a pure heart because it’s how we really know God’s nature and character traits.  Jesus says later we are to hunger and thirst after Him; if you’ve ever been really hungry or thirsty, all except food and water are forgotten – we are driven to satiate these longings.  Oswald Chambers writes, “Jesus Christ did not come only to teach – He came to make me what He teaches I should be.”  When we pursue the counsel of God to make within us that which we cannot do ourselves, we’ve laid aside many things including selfish pride.  Only then can we embrace the nature of Christ, and hearts made rich because of poverty!  Now, if that’s not a story of rags to riches, I don’t know of one!