The Beatitudes

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God.

Matthew 5:3

Another Wednesday has come and gone. So, you know what that means, right? I get the opportunity to share with you my big take-aways from the REfresh Bible study. Of course, I never cover it all. I just take time to recount the fragments that spoke to me. I tell you the pieces that I’m going to take with me and mull over as the week goes on. You could always tune in on Wednesday nights yourself to find the pieces that fit into the holes of your life. Enough chitter chat. Let’s discuss the study.

When I was a kid, the youth group at church performed a play about the beatitudes. I don’t remember much of the play, but I do remember that we learned lots of songs about the beatitudes. Wednesday night’s study took us to Matthew 5. Here Jesus begins his famous Sermon on the Mount. The first eight statements that He makes comprise the beatitudes. Why are they called beatitudes? Each statement begins with “blessed”. Beatitude means “happy,” “blessed.”

Pastor started off the night asking us to reflect on the holiness of our attitudes on a scale of 1 to 10. Just an average. A moment of self-reflection. I thought on it and came to the conclusion that I’m at a six. Could be far worse. Could be far better. Listen ya’ll. I’m a work in progress.

We got right into the very first beatitude that discusses the proper attitude, but I never reflected on it in this way. “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Poor in spirit means that I’m lacking something. What am I lacking? Pastor broke it down. That means I’m lacking confidence in an area. That means that I feel inadequate. But wait a minute. Did Jesus say that people that feel inadequate are blessed? That’s what it says, and it threw me for a loop.

Baby according to this scripture then I’m blessed on top of blessed. And I needed this word tonight. Feeling inadequate??? I’m a professional at that. I constantly feel out of my league and out of place. Sitting and writing this blog takes everything out of me and then some. It keeps me in prayer and seeking His face. Bible study confirmed that that is where God wants me. In my weakness, I realize that God alone is strong. And I’m blessed because of who He is. Not because of me.

An attitude of inadequacy is counter-cultural. In the world, you have to be the best. Know the best. Do the best. At all times. It’s the only way to win. But when we counter that attitude with Jesus’ words, we are forced to make a course correction. It is when we admit that we need Jesus that we truly cultivate the correct attitude. The proud and adequate people don’t have a need for God. They have it all themselves. Recognizing our need for God and having a poor spirit will grant us access to the kingdom of heaven.

That’s why I keep myself engaged in Christian community. It challenges what I thought I knew of scripture. It makes me dig deeper and look more intently at scriptures that I have a tendency to glaze over. My attitude needs work, and I’m sure that I’m not alone. Blessed are we…#wepreach