Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:1-16
Emerson’s advice to Lincoln about hitching his wagon to a star is the lesson Jesus sets for us in the Beatitudes. These blesseds shine like stars far above us in their brightness and heavenliness. We may say that we never can reach them and that therefore there is no use in our trying to reach them. But the Master would have us strive after the highest attainments.
It has been noted that if the world would make a set of beatitudes they would be just the reverse of those that Jesus spoke. None of the classes pronounced blessed by Him would be called happy by the world. The poor in spirit, the meek, those who hunger for goodness and holiness, are not the world’s favorites. These are not the qualities natural men consider most worthy of quest.
The first beatitude is for the lowly ones. “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” This beatitude is not for the poor in an earthly sense, for one may be very poor and yet proud; and one may be rich in worldly goods and yet be lowly in spirit, in disposition. The Bible everywhere praises humility. God dwells with the humble. Christ refers only once in the Gospels to His own heart, and trough the window He opens then it is the picture that we see — “I am meek and lowly in heart” (11:29). To be poor in spirit is to be rich toward God, while pride of heart is spiritual poverty. Humility is the key that opens the gate of prayers, while to the loud knocking of pride there comes no answer. The kingdom of heaven belongs to the lowly. They may wear no earthly crown, but a crown of glory, unseen by men, rests upon their heads even here.
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