"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3
I traveled to Kenya during the past week. Not in body, but in spirit. Images described and photos posted by the Compassion Bloggers seared my heart. I sloshed through mud and garbage with them. I pinched my nose against the stench of hopelessness. I winced at eating food prepared in and by the unknown.
I heard the soul sobs. I wept.
Poverty. Abject poverty.
Dirt poor.
Crushed.
Powerless.
We have to grasp the tentacles of that kind of physical poverty before we can comprehend what Jesus meant about spiritual poverty.
"Poor" comes from a Greek word that means "to crouch." Those who are poor recognize they are destitute, suffocating with no spirit breath. Helpless. Dying. Hearts as dirty and cluttered as a slum.
Until they give up and give over. They creep through the dirt to touch the hem of compassion, beg for a crumb, cringe out of fear. And Compassion Himself reaches down and gives them the kingdom. Someone said the door is low, and only those who crawl can enter. They leave self on the outside. They crouch and receive a crown.
No longer hopeless. Now hope filled. The poor become rich.
Blessed. Happy. Dancing
Like these children in a Compassion International project in the midst of Mathare, the most dangerous slum in Kenya.
Kenyan Song in Mathare from Ryan Detzel on Vimeo.
John Bunyan wrote, "Christ makes princes of beggars."
"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18
Have you recognized your poverty? Then sing!
Copyright © 2010 by Sandra Heska King
4 comments:
this is pretty powerful ....
I never realized the power in the Beatitudes until I started to dig into them to teach.
Your writing is wonderful. God has really gifted you. :)
Wow. Lynda, you have blessed me. Thank you.
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