Poor in Spirit"... the Gift Nobody Wants
In Matt 5:3, Jesus says "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
About 10 years ago, a friend of my wife recommended a book named "Pain: The Gift Nobody Wants" (Brand and Yancey). The lead author, Dr. Brand, was raised in India of British missionary parents. There, in the impoverishment of Asia, pain and suffering was a constant companion of those around him: acute, in-their-face, pervasive, inescapeable. Much later in life, after leaving the East and becoming a successful physician and surgeon in first England and then later the States, Dr. Brand returned to India. Once again he was exposed to the suffering of the masses. But now through the eyes of a medical professional, he was struck by a most amazing thought. Dr. Brand discovered that people afflicted with nerve disorders, especially those who suffer (such as lepers) from insentivity to pain are at great risk of self-inflicted injury and subsequent bodily deterioration. That is, those lacking the sensation of pain are prone to crippling injury due to unfelt wear and tear on their hands, feet, and extremities. This insight led Dr. Brand to a most ironic insight. Sensation of pain -- something feared and avoided by all -- is a necessary ingredient to successful living. Pain, in fact, is a God ordained "gift" to the healthy.
In stark contrast to Dr. Bland's people of India, I have led a successful life by most worldly standards. Victory at time, has come seemingly easy, as if I had discovered life to be some sort of closed form equation easily solved by way of hard work and self-discipline. Or so it seemed for the first 35 years of my life...
For more than a decade now, my family and I have seemingly lost the formula. Each one of us has struggled -- or is struggling -- with depression or anxiety. The absence of strong, "normal" mental health has further lead to many physical health issues. In short, my family and I are in pain. We "feel" so much, and it doesn't feel good.
So what does this have to do with the beatitudes? When Jesus says "Blessed are the poor in spirit", I believe I have learned -- and continue to learn more -- what He means by these words. When I hear the Lord speak "poor in spirit", I feel each word; they are alive. For me, the word "poor" is a synonym of afflicted, needy, in want, low, downtrodden. Unrelenting pain from my circumstances has left my family and I "poor in spirit".
This sounds like a bad thing, but is it really? Like physical pain, is "poor in spirit" the gift nobody wants? Daily I ask the Lord to remove these afflictions from us. But ironically the evidence of our lives suggests something to the contrary, that maybe I should be careful what I pray for. Because of our troubles, our relationship with the Lord only increases. And now, instead of seeing "me" in my successes, I see Jesus instead. In my pain, I "feel" life so much more than before. I am more connected to my community, and with greater love, mercy, and compassion. Grace is evident; hope is better understood; passion for life is replacing sterile formulation and repetition. And greater still is my hope. My ironic insight is these gifts come from the very state I resist, being "poor in spirit".
Listen to Matt 5:3!
Jesus says "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
In these beatitudes, God gives us hope. And for those of us who suffer and feel these words -- "poor in spirit" -- God's promise is the "kingdom of heaven". We must not forget that today's temporal suffering is ultimately exchanged for tomorrow's gift of eternity spent with Jesus. The Lord is great and compassionate. He created us, he know us, and he blesses us with the gifts we need. Thank you, Lord, for hope. You are mighty to be praised! Blessed is your Name!
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