Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church

 

Abundance of Blessing​​

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Poverty is not a virtue. It is a curse of our fallen world that will finally be undone when God's reign comes in its fullness.  When hunger or homelessness is relieved in this life, it is a foretaste of that great day.  Similarly, being hated, especially for the sake of Jesus, is not a goal for which we should strive.  Why, then, does Jesus call those who are poor and reviled "blessed"?

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The ancient prophet Jeremiah helps us understand Jesus' words.  "Cursed are those who ... make mere flesh their strength....Blessed are those who trust in the Lord".  "Flesh" refers here not to our bodies but, rather, to human strength and capability, apart from God.  In themselves, wealth, sufficient food, pleasures that bring laughter, and a positive reputation can be good.  The problem comes when we base our security, hope, or sense of purpose on them.  These good things then become idols.  They become "flesh," displacing God from our hearts. Flesh cannot bear that burden, though, and will inevitably fail us.   Jesus' words of blessing and woe are not a moral program or an ethical checklist, but shocking pronouncements meant to startle us out of our fixation on human capacities.

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Jesus' beatitudes open us to the reality that Jeremiah declared; true blessing comes when we "trust in the Lord ."  We can risk human rejection, knowing that in baptism, we have been claimed eternally by God.  If we are poor, God's word promises that we are treasured by the One who gave up everything for us.  When we feel content with earthly food, at the Lord's table we discover that true delight comes from never-ending love present in simple bread and wine.  When the song and prayer of the church give voice to lamentation, we find consolation and hope even in our tears.

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Woe to us indeed if we allow ourselves to settle for mere human strength, when God's mercy and goodness are so much greater!  In the word of the cross and the sacraments of grace, power comes forth from Jesus with blessing, strength, and joy forevermore.