I had hoped to write an insightful Christmas post for today, maybe even to kick off a new Christmas blog series for this month. But it just hasn’t happened, and here I am barely getting a Tuesday post in at all. After a prayer meeting tonight, though, where a theme seemed to be how God sees differently than we do, and works differently than we expect, I thought maybe I was supposed to let go of “my” plans for today’s post…even if this feels messy and not at all what I’d planned.
Thinking about how different His perspective is from ours, I remembered reading the Beatitudes again recently and how I’d been struck by who are the “important people” in God’s book…the blessed ones. Not who we’d naturally think. And as I read, pictures came into my head of these people—sometimes those I actually know, sometimes not. Yet all of them “real,” in one way or another…the heroes of God’s Kingdom.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
I thought of the families at the transitional home where I’ve started volunteering, formerly homeless and now working their way to stability with God’s help. The first time I came with a group from church to bring and share a meal with these families, everyone shared what they were thankful for. From tiny children to parents, the residents all said they were thankful for their families or for the home they’d been taken into, or both…not a material good mentioned. These families knew, better than I sometimes, what was really important.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
I thought of those devastated by loss in the Philippines right now. The Lord knows, and He cares, more than we can know.
“Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.”
I thought of the older couple, Navajo and Anglo, who have so taken me into their hearts and home these past few years of learning and writing, and of all those they reach out to in the same way, from their own extended family to people from all over, friends and strangers. They don’t do anything spectacular or even noticeable in the eyes of the world, yet they are among the most truly Christ-like people I know.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
I thought of a young brother in Christ at our church and his wife, whose hearts are so sold out to reaching the homeless and “least of these” in our city, to truly being like Jesus in this. Their hearts are an inspiration to mine.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”
Here I just saw a picture, of a mother tenderly embracing her teenage daughter, come home unmarried and pregnant. Not exactly someone I personally know, but surely reflective of many mothers across the years and miles.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
I thought of a children’s choir I saw perform once, children from Africa who were largely father and motherless, yet who sang with a joy and wholehearted trust I’ve rarely seen of the Father they did have, who knows their names and sees each tear that falls.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
I thought of missionaries I know who go to Muslim countries reaching out in genuine love and friendship to build Jesus-bridges over walls raised in hatred, fear, and misunderstanding.
“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Here I pictured the believers in house churches in China, and of course other countries too…who understand persecution and suffering in a way I cannot fathom. Yet their reward will be great:
“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
So…that was my reading of the Beatitudes, seeing them in a way I never had before. And being reminded that God’s perspective is often so very different from mine that sometimes it’s a shock to catch a glimpse through His eyes. Remembering whom He exalts, and whom I should look up to as well.
Maybe that’s a theme we can explore here over the next few weeks. For what we celebrate at Christmas was anything but what we would have expected, had we tried to figure out how God planned to redeem the world.
I think I’m excited about that. How about you?
Lovely post, Kiersti!! And I love ‘that couple’ too.
Thanks, Jennifer! And I know you do. 🙂