Psalms 30, 34 and 126: God’s Yardstick – The Law of Love – Part III
Beyond the Poverty of Spirit
Thursday, January 19, 2023
We continue to look for God’s yardstick in New Scripture.
As we learn how to enter into God’s humility we also acquire self-knowledge, and it is this deeper understanding that leads us to the second beatitude, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” This poverty of spirit shows us that sadness is not to be avoided for it is in the depths of grief that we encounter God most deeply. Through humility we arrive at understanding that our successes and failures come to us through no talent of our own . . . but through God’s deep, infinite and abiding goodness. When we refuse to understand this truth we find ourselves stalled on God’s ladder of beatitude. When we blame God for the disaster, sadness and darkness in the world, we demonstrate our own refusal to act with God to heal, bridge, console, and include. When we admit that we are not in charge, we are ready for the third rung on God’s Yardstick.
Those who wept as they went out carrying the seed
will come back singing for joy,
as they bring in the harvest. (Psalm 126:6)
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” We often understand the quality of meekness as sweetness and affability rather than strength, but the meekness that Jesus displays is a willingness to be taught. Those who are meek as Jesus is meek have submitted their strength to God for God’s use. They have no arrogance and so they become instruments of God’s authority – both here on earth and later. So it is through our poverty of spirit and sadness that we arrive at possessing authority. It is through the power of Christ that the paradox unfolds . . . and we move to the fourth beatitude.
Tomorrow, God’s righteousness.
Adapted from a favorite written on January 5, 2007.
Image from: http://stevesbasics.blogspot.com/2013/11/blessed-are-poor-in-spirit.html
The Noontimes 
To enter into the conversation, leave a reply