The Plenty in Poverty

The Plenty in Poverty

Good Morning Friends,

St. Francis is credited with describing poverty as sublime…a treasure so very precious and divine. On his death bed he requested a reading of Psalm 140 which reinforces the reality of the struggle and a dilemma we all face. Read it when you get a chance for it fleshes out today’s devotional story against the backdrop of recent violent events in Immokalee…in the world. The beauty of the story is that St. Francis of Assisi, a rich young ruler himself, in discovering the nature of joy, also found The Plenty in Poverty.

Scripture: When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:1-3 (NRSV)

A certain ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.  You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother.'”  He replied, “I have kept all these since my youth.” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”  But when he heard this, he became sad; for he was very rich.

Luke 18:18-23 (NRSV)

Or do you suppose that it is for nothing that the scripture says, “God yearns jealously for the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?  But he gives all the more grace; therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

James 4:5-6 (NRSV)

Message: Jesus never condemns having possessions but does warn against material things possessing people. You see, God wants our total loyalty and devotion. The point here is that the Spirit of poverty is priceless if you are willing to let it guide you in following Jesus. To be “poor in spirit” simply means to be totally dependent on God… It means realizing our spiritual deficiencies…it mean we are not worthless but we are not worthy either. It means admitting our sin and realizing that our sin caused Jesus to go to the cross. Friends, being poor in spirit means emptying ourselves of our selfishness. In a word it is humility. The story of the rich young ruler gives us an example of someone who is not poor in spirit. Here we have a man who has mastered prosperity, posterity and power but not peace. Contentment appears out of his reach. The story draws us in for we are too often like the rich young ruler. His fate we do not know. But this we do know. When passions for possession reign supreme it is the makings ultimately for inner conflict that is almost always the source of outer expressions of violence in this world. Friends, the heart of all conflict is a selfish heart. Without Jesus reigning the world is one big selfish mess. Will you allow Jesus to change you…to change the community in which you live?

Pray we recognize that a driving desire for self-gratification in us leads to an early grave.
Pray
we realize that happiness based on when and then thinking is almost always a lie because happiness comes from within. Pray we realize that Jesus humbled himself in serving and so should we. Pray we empty ourselves of our selfishness and pretense. Pray we realize we can never boast to God about our goodness. Pray we rejoice in the satisfaction of a life that brings with it God’s grace. Pray we relax because we have no reason to pretend. Pray we shift our thinking in ways that brings us joy. Pray that our prayers not be so much for our own convenience, comfort, or pleasure, as an attempt to manipulate a sovereign God, but be more a time of reporting for duty allowing the Holy Spirit to direct our ways for God’s glory. Pray we realize that God has placed the Holy Spirit with in us for just this purpose. Pray we not act like an enemy of God. Pray we put our trust in God when threatened with evil.

Blessings,

John Lawson

Psalm 140

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹ Rescue me, Lord, from evildoers;
    protect me from the violent,
² who devise evil plans in their hearts
    and stir up war every day.
³ They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent’s;
    the poison of vipers is on their lips.

⁴ Keep me safe, Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
    protect me from the violent,
    who devise ways to trip my feet.
⁵ The arrogant have hidden a snare for me;
    they have spread out the cords of their net
    and have set traps for me along my path.

⁶ I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”
    Hear, Lord, my cry for mercy.
⁷ Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer,
    you shield my head in the day of battle.
⁸ Do not grant the wicked their desires, Lord;
    do not let their plans succeed.

⁹ Those who surround me proudly rear their heads;
    may the mischief of their lips engulf them.
¹⁰ May burning coals fall on them;
    may they be thrown into the fire,
    into miry pits, never to rise.
¹¹ May slanderers not be established in the land;
    may disaster hunt down the violent.

¹² I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor
    and upholds the cause of the needy.
¹³ Surely the righteous will praise your name,
    and the upright will live in your presence.