Blessed are. . .

Matthew 5:3-11

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

I may not have been completely sensitive in my previous blog about completing the rice and beans challenge. I chose, maybe incorrectly, to write about how hard it was for our family, instead of writing about the transformation of my heart. So I'd like to do that now.

I don't know why God places some in prosperity and some in poverty, I only know He does. I don't know why I was born here and not in some other land or in another time. However, I do know that it has absolutely nothing to do with me but every thing to do with God's perfect plan.

Up until our church started to focus on the hungry just a few months ago, I did not have an appreciation for my circumstances, nor for the responsibility that comes with it. I blindly lived my life and failed to see my part in supporting others. Through this hunger challenge, we saw our greed. Maybe not like what is going on in wall street lately, but greed nonetheless. We were wasteful in how we spent our money. We paid for things we could just as well have done ourselves. We paid for convenience instead of taking the extra time to prepare from scratch. Things were disposable because we could afford to buy more. I thought is was okay to spend because I had the money. I failed to see that if I spent more wisely, I could offer more to others who don't have.

Now, on my refrigerator is a picture of four young boys holding out empty bowls with the caption that I added that says "It's not fair, God gave you more so you could share!" It serves as a reminder to me that I have a responsibility to others! Everything I have belongs to God and He determines how I should use it. I have not received these blessings just for myself. They are meant to be shared. I am no more special than anyone else in this world. I don't deserve any more than anyone else. If I have more, it's because God intends for it to be shared.

Our family cancelled our satellite TV subscription in January and now allocate that money monthly to sponsoring a child through Compassion International. Mackenson is five years old, and lives in Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere. We set a family budget for 2009 that reigned in all of our spending areas so we could free up more money to donate or to help others. We are more conscious about God's command to 'love our neighbor' and we are making strides in humility and compassion toward God's people.

I am beginning to see and envy the dependence the poor have on God to provide for their needs. Prosperity hides our connection to God for all of our needs to be met. We begin to think of ourselves as the provider, the one in control. We become independent from God and that sin keeps us from a truly dependent life on Him. The poor have no where else to turn but to a faith in a loving, provisional God who hears their cries for help and who comes to their aid. The poor grow in faith in a way the rich cannot. Wealth can be a curse to those who forget where the wealth came from and that it is all God's.

I've come to realize also that when we go to help someone in need, we, often times are the ones who are helped. We don't see our own needs until we see what we are missing in the heart of someone else. We offer money or physical aid but we receive far more in return. The peace and joy of a Christian in physical need despite their circumstances is something we need to learn. In all things be thankful! In all things have peace, knowing the God that saves, sees you!

God intended a different kind of world for us when He created humanity and the universe. The fall of man in the Garden of Eden brought a curse to the earth that we will live under until God showers in the new heaven and earth. This life is not the life He intended us to live. It is a hard life with many hurts, unfairness, persecution, and oppression! It is a life that demands we help each other! A life that begs us to reach out to those in need, to give up so others can have, to unselfishly share of our time, talent, and money. It is a life that takes all of us, in obedience to God, to persevere until the end. To an end with a great reward - a place to dwell with no more tears or sorrow!

The rice and beans challenge helped our family see our divine responsibility to a hurting world by first breaking us out of our own comfort zones. We had to shake up our world to be available to hear God' calling. We had to depend on Him to get us through that week and in that dependence God showed us amazing things.

Oh, Lord, forgive me for not seeing the world and my place in it the way you see it. Forgive me for selfishly taking, and at times for not even being thankful for your blessings. Give me a new heart! Show me your plan and my part in it! Show me the world through your eyes! Give me mercy and compassion for others. Break my pride and selfishness and replace it with humility and selflessness. Heal the wounds of others and remain near them, always seeing, always hearing, always sending your servants to be your hands and feet! Amen.