NORTHSHORE CHURCH OF CHRIST

(Thoughts from our Wednesday Ecclesiastes study)

God has made both the day of prosperity and the day of adversity (Eccl. 7.14). We don’t know from day to day what we will find. Will a friend call to tell us someone we love just died? Will the book deal come through we’ve been working so hard to land? Will our son win the big game with a three-point fading jump shot? Will our spouse get into a tragic car accident?

Solomon says we cannot know anything of what will be after us. In other words, we don’t know what tomorrow will bring…or even later today, for that matter. So we should be joyful in the day of prosperity and when days of adversity come, just sit and think about it. Ponder the brevity of life and the reality that we are not in control. Only God knows. Only God controls.

One crooked thing is that sometimes righteous people die early, and sometimes wicked people live long and prosper in this adventure under the sun.

The trick is to remember we are really all in the same boat. “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins” (Eccl. 7.20). No matter how righteous you are, you will never work your way out of being a sinner! Solomon does not say to abandon the righteous path, throw caution to the wind, and be as wicked as you want. Rather, he still says, “Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time?” (7.17).

He encourages the path of humility: “Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others” (7.21–22). Your own heart is crooked; therefore, don’t be surprised and don’t get bent out of shape when others around you have crooked hearts. It is true, “God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes” (7.29). Humility comes when we can think rightly of ourselves. Pride comes when we gloss over our own failings, shortcomings, and sins. If someone calls me a moron, I should halfway agree with him and not take to heart. He’s also a moron, but I don’t need to go there, do I? I should welcome him as my fellow moron in this adventure under the sun.

Another crooked thing is that our rulers are sinners, too, and they have power over us. Solomon encourages us to “Keep the king’s command, because of God’s oath to him…for the word of the king is supreme…” (8.2, 4). The wise man submits to earthly authority, not because they are good, but because they are appointed by God.

Even though there are crooked events and crooked people, Solomon depends upon this rule: “Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him. But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God” (8.12–13).

And he always returns to this rule, as well: “And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun” (8.15).

Praise God. Depend on God. God will make the crooked things straight in His time.

What does it mean to be poor in spirit? Jesus said I am blessed if I am poor in spirit, and, in addition, I have (present tense) the kingdom of heaven, so it sounds important to be poor in spirit.

Jesus started His list of “blessed” statements (what we typically call the “Beatitudes”) with this one. Notice, by the way, the how many Ts are in “beatitude” and how many are in “attitude.” They are not related words. A beatitude is not an attitude we are supposed to be. “Beatitude” means “a supremely blessed state.” Jesus said I am supremely blessed if I am poor in spirit.

In fact, all citizens of Jesus’ kingdom must be poor in spirit, because if we are not poor in spirit, we do not have the kingdom of heaven!

The first and last of the eight beatitudes hold the same promise—“for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”—so this short list defines citizens of Jesus’ kingdom. This is not some random list of proverbs; this is a definition of who is in the kingdom of heaven. Every Christ-follower is poor in spirit, mourns, is meek, hungers and thirsts for righteousness, is merciful, is pure in heart, is a peacemaker, and rejoices in persecution.

But return to the first one—what does it mean to be poor in spirit?

Poor means lacking, not having, being empty. But what do we lack? Jesus taught that it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, and He told the rich ruler to sell all he had, give to the poor, and go follow Jesus. Is that what this is talking about? Does Jesus demand all His followers sell everything they have and give to the poor?

A man can be worldly poor and still not be poor in spirit. These are not equal.

Poor in spirit is like humility. We realize our low place in reference to God and others. Yet it is more than simple humility. We stand before God spiritually destitute, having nothing to bring to Him. Like Adam and Eve, we have sinned and stand naked before God, without even the ability to properly cover ourselves.

Nothing in my hand I bring; Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked come to Thee for dress; Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Vile, I to the fountain fly; Wash me, Savior, or I die.
(from “Rock of Ages” by Augustus M. Toplady)

Every citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven comes to Jesus with empty hands, on his knees, asking for Jesus’ blood to cover his sins. And after Jesus wondrously, graciously, lovingly applies the blood and forgives the sins, the kingdom citizen remains perpetually conscious of his never-ending need for grace and strength from the Lord. Never will he boast of anything before God except the work of Christ!

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for there is the kingdom of heaven.