Are You Poor?

“And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all. And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said” “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours in the kingdom of God.” -Luke 6:19-20

I don’t know about you, but I don’t like being poor. I grew up that way - or at least by American standards I did, but then again it’s a subjective concept in our competitive, materialistic world. Do you agree? Due to not having much material wealth, I grew up struggling to fit in and trying to find love and acceptance anywhere I could get it (it was sorely missing from my mother’s arms). In a desperate attempt to preserve some sort of personal dignity, I tried to pretend we had more than we did by telling my friends that we were actually quite wealthy, but we chose to live below our means, thank you very much. Ha! I only wished that was the case when the rest of my cheer squad got to go to cheerleading camp in 7th grade, and my parents could barely afford my uniform.

It wasn’t until years later (plus a few after) when I had an encounter with Jesus on my literal death bed, that I realized what this passage is truly saying. We see similar language used in Matthew 5:3 when Jesus is delivering the Beatitudes as part of the Sermon on the Mount. Here, and in Luke, we are seeing that God is describing a different kind of world (a new kingdom), a different pecking order that sounded pretty upside down compared to how the original audience would have heard it. Today, I think many of us would hear it the same way because it is still opposite of how our world/culture/country/all of humanity defines wealth and values one another.

Jesus is going out of his way to let us know that wealth doesn’t mean actual money, status, or power; rather it means our capacity to be aware of our need for Him and who He is. It’s an attitude of dependence and surrender that we choose to have on Him, even when all of our financial, emotional, and physical needs are met. Here in the Western world, this is challenging, right?!

I can’t even count how many times that I have prayed for something, God answered me, and then I forgot to thank him for it. Shameful.

So are we poor? Are we humble? Or do we chase after the things, people, or opportunities that will bring us wealth and favor? Do we give special treatment and recognition to only those who we admire, or whoever can help us attain a higher status in this world we can see?

As someone who has struggled mightily with self-worth issues related to narcissistic parenting, I have been hurt over and over again by others who stepped over me or on top of me to reach the next rung in the social ladder in an attempt to not be “poor”. Now, I realize the eternal value of being poor because it resets my eyes back to where they belong.

Back to the only One who can define what “rich and poor” truly means.

Back to the One who sets the market price on my worth.

Back to the one who tell me that I always belong with Him.

Now, I am humbled and thankful to admit how poor I truly am. And if I forget, I ask Him to remind me, because over time I have learned that I cannot will myself to be healthy on my own. I need His supernatural help.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. -Psalm 34:18

Being poor and needy for God is not a vulnerability; rather, it is a requirement for healing, connection, and freedom from the wounds of your past. So, I must ask… are you poor?