Richly Poor

The more I understand golf, the clearer it becomes that it is a game of opposites. The way you hold the club doesn't seem right at first.  Planting my left foot instead of turning with the swing required I go completely against my intuition. And, the very idea of driving down to get the ball to go up, well, just didn't seem right at all. Nevertheless, up is down, stuck is fluid and less is more - go figure.

The more I understand the kingdom of Christ, the clearer I see that it too is a kingdom of opposites. One in particular is found in Matt 5:3, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."  The world pitied the poor. We recoil so much at being poor that we have declared a war on poverty.  Good people every wish to stamp out poverty. And yet, the Lord says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit."  Hmmft!  Sup with that?

It is not in becoming poor or in being poor that the blessing is found for were are encouraged to "buy gold from me" in Revelation 3:18.  Rather, it is in realizing that you are impoverished. Return with me to Revelation - "You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing .’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.  I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. …" (3:17-18).

Those who recognize they have nothing apart from Jesus are the ones who will continue turning to him and receiving his blessing, his riches. The poor in spirit do not trust in their wisdom, their position, their resources or their power; they trust in the Savior. They, therefore inherit true riches.

Jus' Sayn.