Last week after posting on this idea that maybe the beatitudes are really just facts about the availability of the blessings of the kingdom of heaven to absolutely anyone, I was confronted with someone that solidified that truth.
There are several organizations in town that people regularly turn to for help with bills. The general rule of thumb is that some of those organizations will help a little and most of them will refer on to the next place. Somehow or another, the Fairlane congregation has been placed on the top of the list of those in town willing to help. Let me say, first of all, that this is both a blessing a problem.
It's a blessing because it means that God's name is being glorified through the members of this congregation. We are known around town as people who will help. I can't think of a better reputation to have as long as the help also involves spiritual guidance and access to God and not just a hand out. The "hand-out" mentality, however, is exactly why being at the top of the list is also sometimes a problem. Unfortunately, there are some in the world who are all to willing to take advantage of those willing to help. As you can see, that makes it hard to know who genuinely needs help and who we are more likely to enable than to help. Because of this, it's very easy to get cynical and frustrated and begin to shut people out before they even begin to speak. I find myself constantly trying to size people up and decide whether or not they are telling the truth. I catch myself judging whether or not they are really worthy of our help or not.
Please hear me...that's not right. But it's the way things are, and I ask for your prayers for wisdom and eyes of love in those matters.
But I say all of that, to tell you a story from last week of God illustrating the principle of the first two beatitudes in an incredibly beautiful way.
A lady had called to ask for help with her light bill. I invited her to come in and talk and I let her know that we had food boxes ready (HUGE thanks to the men's class for maintaining the pantry and the boxes!) and that we might be able to help with part of the bill. When she came, her adult niece was with her. I brought them into Robin's office to introduce them to her and asked what was going on. And then she let me know.
The niece was the talker. Her dad (the other lady's brother) died almost a year ago in her arms. She had gone through all of the cycles of anger at God, trust in God, anger again at God. She is still struggling mightily with the loss. She let us know about her past addictions and how she had given them up. She talked about her faith. And she cried. She apologized over and over again for her tears and for spilling her life story on us. Robin and I mostly simply listened and offered tissue and comfort when we could for the better part of thirty minutes. When she was finally talked out, she asked rather suddenly if she could pray with us and us pray for her right then.
That doesn't happen very often. It knocked me off guard. So we held hands, and before I could even start praying, she did.
At the beginning of the prayer, my mind was all over the place. Does the four of us in an office count as worship and therefore I should be the one leading the prayer instead of her? Is all her talk of feeling the Spirit's presence when her dad died real or just emotionalism? How do I respond to this?
And as all of those questions were bouncing around in my head along with the words of her prayer, I was reminded of the first two beatitudes. "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted." And then I too began to tear up. Because the prayer that she was praying was the most honestly, sincerely, and directly I have ever heard anyone talk to God. She prayed the way I have desired to pray all of my life and have only managed to do so on a handful of occasions.
Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
I prayed for her and her aunt when she had finished and then I offered her the best comfort I could think of...that Jesus began his first sermon by saying, "blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."
And that is the truth for those inside the kingdom. God is the "God of all comfort" (2 Cor. 1:3). He will comfort those who seek His comfort. Just think through the stories you've known from childhood and witness God's heart for those who are hurting.
In the kingdom of heaven, things get reversed. The poor in Spirit are possessors of the kingdom instead of exiles from it, and the mourners are comforted.
I thank God for this encounter with someone who my initial reaction is to think of her as poor in spirit. I thank God that I had just studied the first beatitude for the VOW the day before. I pray that I will be able to talk with these two ladies more in the coming weeks both the teach them more fully about the kingdom of heaven and to learn from them more fully what it means to be comforted and blessed in the kingdom of heaven.
Chances are you will see someone mourning in some way this week. Will you share the promise of the kingdom of heaven with them?
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