Church News Volume 2, Issue 6

Dear friends,

"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." (Luke 6:20).

What does Jesus mean by these words? Does He imply that we must renounce all our worldly wealth because material poverty is a special source of God's blessing? Certainly many people in today's world who are poor would not agree with that! Poverty is more often a curse, as many people today are poor because of others greed or violence. Those in the poverty trap at home and overseas, can only be blessed if we help them and address whatever evils oppress them and keep them in poverty. But Jesus is not commanding us to sell everything and become poor. Rather He is commending a spiritual attitude from each one of us, wealthy or not. The poverty Jesus sees is that of the soul.

We live in a society where people are searching for a meaning to their life and, whether wealthy or poor, look to drugs, violence, gambling, wealth, power and many other avenues, for the answer.

But the poverty in the soul of humanity cannot be addressed without reference to God. He alone is the answer to the hunger of spiritual poverty. So why are "the poor", in the words of Jesus, blessed with the Kingdom of God?

The spiritually poor are those who know what they are lacking and seek out God's eternal love, care, gifts, and look to ways in which they can serve Him with thankful hearts. This is in contrast to the spiritually "rich". That is those people who think they know it all and are in control of their own destinies. They are the ones who neglect God and try to move Him to the corners of their lives. They encounter God only when they think they need Him - a child's christening, a wedding, a funeral. They think their relationship with God is all sewn up and He is pigeon-holed !

If we think that way, then we have our priorities wrong, and we shall never find real meaning for our life.

Put God in His rightful place at the centre of life, acknowledging our spiritual poverty, following His ways, obeying His commands, and the rest will follow. Then we shall be on our way to the Kingdom of God!

Revd Ian M. Finn

News Letter Archive.