Various translations of Matthew 5:3 include the following:
God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. (NLT)
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (NRSV)
Happy are people who are hopeless, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. (CEB)
You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. (MSG)
Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven! (AMPC)
This weekend exemplifies NorCal winter: cold and wet. As I zipped around running errands, I encountered a very familiar, recurring scene – a person begging for money at the parking lot exit. Whatever you might feel about this, I think we can agree that being houseless when it’s cold and wet sucks. I prefer my warm home. If that’s what blessed or happy looks like, I’m not sure I want it. If we are called to live life at the end of our rope or in poverty, that’s a tough sell. I want to appear mature in faith, yet that invitation does not sound appealing at all. Hard pass for me unless there are no other options.
Sometimes when we read this Beatitude, we are tempted to romanticize poverty and the poor. We share true stories of impoverished people living with meaning, joy, and deep experiences of faith, proving the veracity of Jesus’ claim. We uphold the value of simplicity and even austerity as noble and good. We talk about the freedom we have when we don’t have much to lose. All true, but all making it too easy to miss the other reality of poverty: hardship.
I am reminded that Jesus’ original audience was mostly very poor. Jesus wasn’t only speaking words of hopeful encouragement to such people; he was speaking from experience as an extremely poor man who knew what it was to be mistreated and ignored by people of power and wealth.
As we consider this Beatitude, we need to remember not to romanticize poverty while also looking for the principle that Jesus was alluding to. Plus, one additional step we’ll get to. Monika Hellwig – “The People’s Theologian” – offers some insights into the “Advantages” of Being Poor”:
· The poor know they are in urgent need of [help].
· The poor not only know their dependence on God and on powerful people but also their interdependence with one another.
· The poor rest their security not on things but on people.
· The poor have no exaggerated sense of their own importance, and no exaggerated need of privacy.
· The poor expect little from competition and much from cooperation.
· The poor can distinguish between necessities and luxuries.
· The poor can wait, because they have acquired a kind of dogged patience born of acknowledged dependence.
· The fears of the poor are more realistic and less exaggerated, because they already know that one can survive great suffering and want.
· When the poor have the gospel preached to them, it sounds like good news and not like a threat or a scolding.
· The poor can respond to the call of the gospel with a certain abandonment and uncomplicated totality because they have so little to lose and are ready for anything.
To gain further clarity from Hellwig’s list, Author Philip Yancey swapped out the word “rich” for “poor” and changed each sentence to the opposite. After that, he swapped the word “I” for “the poor” to see how much he resembled those in poverty. Probably worth a try?
Yancey concludes:
I do not believe the poor to be more virtuous than anyone else (though I have found them more compassionate and often more generous), but they are less likely to pretend to be virtuous... I now view the Beatitudes not as patronizing slogans but as profound insights into the mystery of human existence. God’s kingdom turns the tables upside down. The poor, the hungry, the mourners, and the oppressed truly are blessed. Not because of their miserable states, of course – Jesus spent much of his life trying to remedy those miseries. Rather, they are blessed because of an innate advantage they hold over those more comfortable and self-sufficient. People who are rich, successful, and beautiful may well go through life relying on their natural gifts. People who lack such natural advantages, hence underqualified for success in the kingdom of this world, just might turn to God in their time of need. Human beings do not readily admit desperation. When they do, the kingdom of heaven draws near (30-31).
Given that we live in a culture driven by consumerism that taps into our sense of value and worth based on our comparison with others, the above provides insight, wisdom, and practical advice on how to stay grounded and rooted in the truth of this Beatitude, consequently fostering a richer experience of life in God. For many radically individualized human beings, this would be a good stopping point. But, as Yancey noted, Jesus spent much of his ministry trying to alleviate the causes of the poverty with nonviolent forms of speaking truth to power with resistance.
Two parables come to mind that exemplify Jesus’ compassion toward the poor and his passion to combat poverty. In the Parable of the Greedy Farmer, a famer has an incredible harvest and decides to build additional barns to hold the surplus and live on it for the rest of his days. In the parable, Jesus criticizes the farmer for such an act. Why was he so harsh? Jesus used the parable to speak against greed in a time of great want. To live so selfishly when people around him were struggling for food was anti-shalom, anti-humane, and anti-God.
In another parable, the story of The Rich Man and Lazarus, Jesus paints an even more detailed account. A wealthy man lives behind his gate in opulence, while the poor and miserable Lazarus lays on the other side of his fortress hoping for crumbs from the rich man’s table. They both die the same night. Lazarus is welcomed into Heaven, but the rich guy is condemned to Hell (Greek’s mythological Hades). The point of the story was that the rich man completely ignored the need literally at his doorstep and instead lavished himself in luxury. We get fixed on the images of heaven and hell, conveniently avoiding the challenge to evaluate how well we are managing our tendency toward selfishness and greed.
As already noted, Jesus was extremely poor along with most people. He knew why. It wasn’t related to a poor work ethic, but rather systems that made it difficult almost impossible for most people to get ahead. Those with power and wealth have the power and wealth to keep it that way. Are there systems in our time that make it harder for some more than others to get ahead? Is there any evidence suggesting that such systems exist and are working?
I invite you to spend some time examining a resource: Nine Charts about Wealth Inequality in America. Since we are in February, when we celebrate Black History Month, I encourage you to check out Visualizing the Racial Wealth Gap as well. I think a person would be hard-pressed to suggest that there are not systems in our beloved United States that favor the haves at the expense of the have nots, and of whites over non-whites. Apart from wishful thinking, the evidence does not support a reality other than one where systems do exist and are perpetuated by those in power. You did not create the system, but you can do something to positively influence the plight of the poor.
When we view the Beatitudes as part of the whole Sermon on the Mount, we discover a potentially unsettling reality. Faith is not just about getting inner peace. Following Jesus’ teaching and example yields a paradoxical experience of shalom as the Beatitudes imply, but to follow Jesus also means to work for justice. Given this Beatitude, it means working toward economic justice.
Do you give a rip about this? If you don’t, start reading this blog all over again until you do.
What can we do? On a very local level, you can do something directly to help the poor around you. I know of one CrossWalker who kept Subway gift cards on hand to give to people begging for help. A footlong sandwich won’t solve world hunger, but it might solve theirs for a day or two. You can donate to CrossWalk’s Food Pantry – go buy Cheerios to cheer on the Kansas City Chiefs for the Super Bowl next week. Want to go national or international? Pick one of these organizations based on their Charity Watch rating.
Specifically related to the intersectionality of racism and economic justice, first take time to become more aware of the problem right in front of our faces. Napa has an historic race problem. Until and unless we are aware of our history, we are doomed to repeat it.
African Americans comprise .8% of Napa County’s roughly 77,500 residents. That means we have around 620 black neighbors in the entire county. Hardly any of them live in the city of Napa. Most live in American Canyon. Do you know what California county has the highest percentage of African Americans? Solano County is the highest with 14.6%. Let that sink in. Directly south of Napa county is the highest black population in the state. Then tell me that there isn’t an historic race problem in Napa.
We know that redlining was a reality in Napa. We know that African Americans do not get the same lending options as their white counter parts. We know that our black neighbors and family members do not get paid the same. Do you care? Jesus certainly did. Christ certainly does. The Way of Shalom would have us become aware and then do what we can to correct it. If you want to do something right here in California, check our Western Center on Law and Poverty. Learn about the history of the NAACP and the ACLU.
Prejudice born from ignorance is a curse that passes from one generation to the next. There is an ignorance of innocence among those who have never been made aware of racism, and there is willful ignorance held and shared among those who do not wish to be burdened with reality. Most people who look like me begin with innocent ignorance. If that’s you, I am sorry to tell you that you can no longer play that card. Well, you can, but it would be a willful departure from the Way of Jesus.
The truth is that I can’t tell you what to do – you need to care enough to find out some things for yourself. What I can tell you is that this is part of following Jesus, and when we follow, we foster the experience life in God. We find ourselves blessed. What are you going to do?
You didn’t create the system. But you can influence its change.
May we get over ourselves.
May we give a rip beyond Me, Myself, and I.
May we remember that our stuff will be tomorrow’s estate sale (and eventually dust).
May we learn to share better.
May we care enough to stand up for Shalom.
May we focus/correct our vision toward mercy.
May we recognize that we’re all the colors.
May we sense the Spirit’s woo toward Love.
May we experience blessedness because we did.