Chambers translates the above verse in the following way:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit . . . .” This literally means, “Blessed are the paupers.” And then he goes on to make the next statement, Paupers are remarkably commonplace!
Today's devotional is reassuring to me because quite often...I feel poor in spirit. I feel ordinary. I am just me. I'm not extroverted, outgoing or even strongly motivated most of the time. I am just me. I'm looking for a job, so some of these catch phrases really ...I don't know how to say it. I guess they scare me because I'm just me. I wish someone would give me a chance because if they did, they would find that I am a dependable worker and reliable and I'll try my best to do just about anything asked of me in a job (within reason of course). I'll stay late to finish a job...and I want to do the job right...so I am meticulous and detailed. But I'm also introverted, a little timid and somewhat quiet. I'm not flashy or stylish. I'm really quite commonplace in many regards.
Chambers again:
At the foundation of Jesus Christ’s kingdom is the genuine loveliness of those who are commonplace. I am truly blessed in my poverty. If I have no strength of will and a nature without worth or excellence, then Jesus says to me, “Blessed are you, because it is through your poverty that you can enter My kingdom.” I cannot enter His kingdom by virtue of my goodness— I can only enter it as an absolute pauper.
I can be assured that I am useful to God. He loves me just the way he made me. He has a purpose for me being...just me. I should never wonder if I can be of any use for God because:
If I wonder if I am being of any use to God, I instantly lose the beauty and the freshness of the touch of the Lord. “He who believes in Me . . . out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). And if I examine the outflow, I lose the touch of the Lord.
I just need to believe and abide in Him. How do I abide in Him? By doing what I studied yesterday...by "Coming to Him" (Matt 11:28).
I just want to believe in Him, abide in Him...and let Him do the rest.
Who are the people who have influenced us most? Certainly not the ones who thought they did, but those who did not have even the slightest idea that they were influencing us. In the Christian life, godly influence is never conscious of itself.
Photo taken by me at Robert Treman State Park in 2010.
Strange as it may be, I was just yesterday morning contemplating how so many acts of service go completely unnoticed by so many. There have been many moments where I have felt unimportant and insignificant, and yet God sees the apparently mundane tasks I do as a service to Him (if I do them with a proper heart attitude). Blah! Why do I always find it so easy to be dissatisfied, want more praise and recognition, and sulk when I don't feel important?
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