Poor in Spirit...

I read a passage the other day that I have read a million times in Matthew chapter 5 where Jesus is speaking to a large crowd of people while sitting on a mountain (I love scripture whenever it talks about Jesus and mountains). While he sits on this mountainside He begins to teach the people what it is like to live life as a Radical christian. It really is, in the first 12 verses, Radical 101. When I think of the word radical, I think counter-culture. The image that comes to mind is one of salmon swimming upstream.... against the current. The struggle to live contradictory to the culture. While everyone goes one way... to be radical is to "swim" the other way... a positive way. This is the way I have always wanted to live, but have struggle to at times. It is a whole lot easier just to let the current take you. So anyway, Jesus is giving this Radical 101 class and the first instruction He gives is for us to live "poor in spirit" because we will be blessed. I have read those words a million times in my 25 years of life and I have always agreed, but unsure of what that actually meant. After reading a few commentaries on this passage the meaning became very evident and I can't get it out of my mind. All around the world there are christians who are strong believers and trust God as if He is all they have... because He is all they have. They may live in Africa, Asia, Russia or Irmo... but the truth is they have nothing. As Americans we live such extravagant lives... we spend money like it is water and yet others struggle to survive... BUT they do have Jesus. They live physically poor, but their souls are rich. The instruction Jesus gives is to live "poor in spirit". He is promising blessing for those who live as if God is all they have.... even if they have much. I want to live poor in spirit. I want to live my life as if I have nothing else. What a great challenge for every person who has a checking account or food in the kitchen or gas in the car. Live poor in spirit... as if all you have is God. In the end that is all we have. He is faithful in a fickle world. So swim strong... counter-culture and I will strive to do the same. Cheers.

Trevor Miller