Blog : Can the poor be happy?

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5/23/2009 1:34 pm

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5/26/2009 4:54 pm

Can the poor be happy?

God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is given to you. God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. Luke 6:20-21 NLT

Have you ever met someone who said, "I really do not want to be happy. Happiness might be okay for some people, but it's really not for me"? Neither have I. That's because deep down inside, we all want to be happy.
In what we know as the Beatitudes, Jesus described how we can be "blessed," which means "happy."
What did Jesus mean when he said the poor would be happy? Does poverty make us more spiritual and wealth make us less so? Are we to believe that the fewer possessions we have, the more godly we become?
No, He doesn't mean that at all. The first beatitude simply promises the person who has nothing that possessions are not what matter most in life. What really matters is what lasts for eternity and possessions don't.
The problem with those who own a bunch of stuff is that they tend to become preoccupied with it.
Our Lord emphasized four essentials for true happiness: faith in God, love toward others, honesty with ourselves, and obedience toward God. Jesus is telling us, "Don't envy those who make spiritual compromises. Though you may not be rich in this world's eyes, you have true riches. And I promise you this: You'll be the happy one."

May the Lord bless you and keep you

Godwhispers 63F