Matthew 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Luke 6:20 "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus describes how his community of believers will live - what their attitudes and actions will be. He starts by raising the status of the poor - those poor in spirit (in Matthew) and those just plain poor (in Luke) - to members of his kingdom.
The poor were looked down on - still are today. We tend to believe that the reason they are poor is that they have done something wrong and God is punishing them. We see them as a burden to society. We leave them behind as we fend for our needs and luxuries. But Jesus says - they belong to his kingdom. They are full members. It is for them!
Followers of Jesus are called to live with this attitude. Not one that condemns or judges the spiritually or physically poor, but one that blesses the poor. We work for justice, offer compassion. We offer the good news that the way of Jesus overcomes all kinds of poverty. And we recognize that we are each poor in some way. We live in gratitude that Jesus offers us a new way of living - one where all kinds of poverty is overcome!
Do you recognize your own poverty? Do you recognize that Jesus overcomes it by teaching us to live in his abundance? Do you bless the poor by the way you live?
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