Humble and Blessed

“God blesses those people who are humble. The earth will belong to them!”        Matthew 5:5 (CEV)

Of all the Beatitudes, this is the one that is difficult to “see” and understand. Jesus says that if I walk in humility that the earth will be mine. I cannot see with my natural eyes that this is true. In this world humility is an oxymoron to great wealth. Since Jesus does not lie, what promise is Jesus speaking?

My husband, Henry, says this is where the word “Eschatology “ comes in. This may be where Jesus is speaking of His Kingdom and what blessings will come to those who have acted justly, loved mercy, and humbly walked with God (Micah 6:8). Is Jesus promising that those of us who have not walked on the backs of others to get ahead, and been a servant who follows His example will receive the “all”?

And that is when I stop and “get it”. I may not know the when and what of my blessing but I have now reached an understanding of where my focus is supposed to be. It is being a servant. That is my focus. How can I serve in Jesus’ Kingdom and do it without anyone noticing? Just be who God has grown and gifted me to be and do it with any recognition. Rejoicing in that. Quietly ecstatic.

Matthew tells us in his gospel about a woman who came and anointed Jesus as He is going to begin His final walk to Gethsemane. Her name is never given. We have no idea what happened to her. Is she one of the disciples mentioned in Acts? Was she martyred for her faith in Jesus Christ?. We don’t know. But Jesus said she had done a “beautiful thing”. He also said,

“I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”               Matthew 26:13 (NLT)

It doesn’t matter what her name is. God knows who she is. It doesn’t matter if anyone knows what I am doing or if I am successful by their standards. God knows where I am and what I am doing. It is His eyes that I want to see me. It is His heart that I want to bless.

So today’s devotion may be short. It may seem filled with “I don’t know”. That doesn’t matter because today Jesus said that I will be blessed in true humility. I receive that today. I am going to spend the rest of my time reading Proverbs 3.